[miracle2k]

I think it is fair to say that whether for violent crimes or non-violent crimes, sentencing in the US is considerably harsher than in many other countries.

I've rarely seen a prison term issued by a US court which I have not found to be excessive relative to my experience with sentences in Germany.

The statistic of the total number of prisoners in the US per capita is well-known and gives us a strong indication that sentencing must be a factor. Still, I'd love to see some official data on this.

[koheripbal]

The reality of crime rates in America are also harsher in America than in other countries.

It's not as if these laws arise in a vacuum.