In the United States we like to think we’re a free and peace loving country, and that may be true. But the United States consistently has some of the highest incarceration rates in the world. Is this because Americans are more criminal than other people? Probably not.

This may be because 40 years of a drug war has done a great deal to weaken protections for criminal defendants – who should be presumed innocent – and led to the incarceration of millions of human beings for drug use, drug sales, and drug trafficking.

Here are some heart-breaking charts that make this point.

Apex criminal lawyer Damon Chetson defends people charged with felonies, misdemeanors, traffic and DWI charges in Raleigh, Wake County, and Apex, NC. DWI Raleigh lawyer Damon Chetson is available day or night, weekdays or weekends. He can be reached for a free in-person or phone consultation (919) 352-9411.