American Prison vs Chinese Prison - Which Is Actually Worse?

Summary

This video compares the prison systems in the United States and China, highlighting their stark differences and similarities. The U.S. has the world’s largest prison population, with a focus on financial and violent crimes, while China maintains a lower incarceration rate but has many political prisoners. Inmates in the U.S. experience a mix of labor, limited recreation, and harsh punishment, whereas China emphasizes strict discipline, forced labor, and harsh conditions. Both countries still use the death penalty, but with very different procedures. The video explores how these two superpowers handle incarceration, punishment, and the treatment of prisoners.

Takeaways

• 😀 The United States has the largest prison population in the world, with over 2.2 million people incarcerated and nearly 7 million under criminal correctional supervision.
• 😀 China, despite having the largest population, has significantly fewer people in prison (1.65 million), but the actual number is difficult to estimate due to state secrecy and the inclusion of re-education camps.
• 😀 In the U.S., federal prisons house mostly people convicted of financial crimes, while state prisons are dominated by those convicted of violent offenses.
• 😀 China’s prison system includes judicial detainees (convicted of serious crimes like theft and fraud) and administrative detainees (often political prisoners or those deemed a public danger).
• 😀 In the U.S., individuals can be released on bail or their own recognizance, while in China, almost all accused individuals are detained until trial, with rough interrogations as a common part of the process.
• 😀 U.S. prisons vary widely in conditions depending on the type of facility, with Supermax prisons subjecting inmates to almost complete isolation, while Chinese prisons tend to focus on labor and maintaining strict order.
• 😀 Prison food in the U.S. is often criticized for poor quality, with inmates relying on prison commissaries for better options, while Chinese prisoners are given minimal food, often rice and small portions of meat, with punishments including reduced rations.
• 😀 U.S. prisons offer recreational options like libraries, sports, and educational classes (though underfunded), while Chinese prisons prioritize labor, military-style drills, and ideological indoctrination.
• 😀 Solitary confinement is a common punishment in U.S. prisons, often used to isolate inmates for breaking rules, while in China, punishments are harsh, including physical abuse, food deprivation, and shackling prisoners to walls.
• 😀 Both the U.S. and China use prison labor extensively, but the U.S. does so in collaboration with third-party companies, paying inmates very low wages, while China uses prison labor as part of its re-education efforts within its Laogai system.
• 😀 Both countries have the death penalty, but China’s use of it is much more secretive and frequent, executing thousands of people each year, while the U.S. has a lengthy appeals process for those sentenced to death.

Q & A

What is the prison population like in the United States compared to China?

The United States has the largest prison population in the world, with over 2.2 million people incarcerated, and a per-capita incarceration rate of 698 per 100,000 people. China, with a population of over 1.4 billion, has about 1.65 million people in prison, with a per-capita rate of 118 per 100,000. China's actual prison population is likely higher due to political prisoners and those detained by state security agencies.

What are the main types of crimes that lead to prison sentences in the United States?

In the United States, federal prisons primarily house inmates convicted of financial crimes such as tax fraud, organized crime, and federal drug offenses, with fewer inmates for violent crimes. State prisons, however, hold a large proportion of violent offenders, with over 50% of inmates incarcerated for crimes like armed robbery, assault, or murder.

How does China's prison system handle detainees compared to the U.S.?

In China, most people are detained until trial, with a focus on securing confessions during pre-trial detention. Unlike the U.S., where pre-trial release is possible for some individuals, Chinese detainees face frequent interrogations and are typically held in detention until their trial, with little uncertainty about their fate.

What is the daily life like for inmates in U.S. prisons compared to Chinese prisons?

In the U.S., inmates have access to libraries, TV, and recreational activities like weightlifting or playing sports. Some even have the opportunity to take college courses. In contrast, Chinese prisons prioritize military-style discipline, with inmates engaging in repetitive chores, chanting slogans, and performing military drills. Recreational activities are minimal, and reading materials are heavily censored.

What is the food like in U.S. prisons versus Chinese prisons?

In U.S. prisons, food varies, with meals often resembling school cafeteria lunches, including sandwiches or TV dinners. Some prisons allow inmates to buy additional food from the commissary. In Chinese prisons, meals are often basic, consisting of rice with turnips or small amounts of pork fat. Complaints about food can result in reduced rations, and food quality is generally poor.

How does punishment work in U.S. and Chinese prisons?

In U.S. prisons, solitary confinement is a common punishment, which can have long-term mental health effects. Other punishments include nutriloaf, a dense meal made from blended food. In Chinese prisons, punishments are more physical and immediate, including reduced food rations or physical abuse by guards. Prisoners may also face being shackled to a wall for extended periods.

What role does labor play in U.S. and Chinese prisons?

In U.S. prisons, labor is common, with inmates working for low wages in jobs like manufacturing or phone banking. In contrast, China's prison labor system is more institutionalized, with labor camps and penal farms used for re-education. Inmates often work under strict conditions with little pay, and the system is rooted in the Laogai, China's historical system of forced labor.

What is the difference in the use of the death penalty between the United States and China?

In the United States, the death penalty is used in 28 states, with over 2,600 people currently on death row. Executions are usually delayed by lengthy appeals. In China, executions are carried out much more swiftly after a death sentence is issued, and it is believed that China executes around 2,400 people annually, although the true figure remains a state secret.

What are the conditions like in supermax prisons in the U.S. compared to Chinese prisons?

In U.S. supermax prisons, inmates are often confined to their cells for up to 23 hours a day with minimal interaction. Security is extremely tight. In China, while prisons like Qincheng hold political prisoners, many prisoners work in labor camps or farms, often in harsh, militarized environments where the emphasis is on maintaining order through strict discipline.

How does censorship affect prisoners in the U.S. and China?

In the U.S., censorship mainly targets violent or sexual content in reading materials, while in China, censorship extends to any materials that the government deems politically dangerous or undesirable. In both countries, prisoners face strict controls on the information they can access, though the motivations behind the censorship are different.