Michael Douglas Criticizes U.S. Prison System

Michael Douglas took aim at the U.S. prison system after winning an Emmy last night. Cameron Douglas is serving a nine-year sentence for drug related charges in Pennsylvania. Although the original sentence was for five years, he received an additional four years for having his attorney smuggle heroin to him while incarcerated. Prisonpath previously discussed his volatile prison life in “Michael Douglas’ Son – Prison Violence.” As part of his new sentence, Cameron Douglas was placed in solitary confinement for two years and no personal visits. The visiting restriction applied also to his father, Michael Douglas.

After the award ceremony, the famous actor stated: “My son is in federal prison. He’s been a drug addict for a large part of his life. Part of the punishments — if you happen to have a slip, and this is for a prisoner who is nonviolent, as about a half-million of our drug-addicted prisoners are — he’s spent almost two years in solitary confinement. Right now I’ve been told that I can’t see him for two years. It’s been over a year now. And I’m questioning the system.”

Douglas also stated: “Obviously at first, I was certainly disappointed in my son. But I’ve reached a point now where I’m very disappointed with the system. And as you can see from what Attorney General Eric Holder has been doing regarding our prison system, I think things are going to be revived, regarding nonviolent drug addicts. My last comment on that is the United States represents 5 percent of the world’s population and we have 25 percent of the world’s prisoners.”