Locking up your people

An Interesting chart here: America is not the best at everything

I think the most amazing number here is the prison population. The US locks up 743 people per 100,000. Second on the list is Israel at 385. Most countries are under 100. WTF.

Why do we lock up about 3 to 7 times as many people as the rest of the developed world? Is it just our stupid drug laws or something else? I don't get it

tnb