Economically a large prison population is a problem.
Socially the size of a prison population is not a problem, it is a symptom. What it is a symptom of will vary with the society. Too small a prison population may mean laws are under enforced, or that the society is so oppressive no one dares step out of line. Figuring out exactly what our prison population is a symptom of is not going to be easy to figure out.
Recidivism is a high indicator the current prison system neither reforms criminals nor deters them.
As for change, what can or cannot be changed, should or should not be changed, we have to go back to basics, and I doubt that will ever be done.
Fortunately for me I never went past the 6th grade so I was able to escape what I call the "Great 8th grade lie" which is where people are brainwashed into believing they know how a law is made and after which they never stop to question "What comes next?"
What comes next? The judge. It is the judge who determines what the law means, what the writers intended, how the law will or will not be applied, and how it will or will not be enforced.
We live in a land of judge made law and until that is changed the rest is out of ours, or anyone else's hands.
