Unnecessary Force/ US Prison Population at Record High

Malika Calhoun is a fifteen year old girl from Seattle who was taken into custody for driving a stolen car. At the time of her arrest, the teen had been staying with another family due to problems at home.

While in custody, Calhoun was severely beaten by Deputy Paul Schene for "lipping off." She was thrown against the wall, jerked to the floor by her hair, and punched before another officer helped restrain her.

You can watch the video here.

Her treatment is similar to takedowns I saw at Escuela Caribe for "insubordinance," and from what I have read or been told, similar to the abuse that goes on in other teen treatment facilities. However, because she was in an adult facility, there were cameras to document her abuse.



In related news, Democracy Now reports that a "new study has found the number of people in prison, on parole or probation has reached a record 7.3 million. One in every thirty-one adults is now in the US corrections system. Twenty-five years ago, the rate was one in seventy-seven. The Pew Center on the States found that corrections spending is outpacing government spending on education, transportation and public assistance. The National Association of State Budget Officers estimates that states spent a record $52 billion on corrections last year—that’s one in every fifteen general fund dollars."