America’s Misplaced Priorities - Our Frightening Prison Numbers

For the first time in American history, one out of every 100 American adults is in jail or prison according to a report released by the Pew Center on the States. With roughly 1.5 million in state and federal prisons and 700,000+ in local jails, the United States now has 2.3 million adults incarcerated. As but one comparison, China, with 1.3 billion people (four times as many) has 1.3 million behind bars (roughly half as many).

Perhaps the most frightening of numbers are those related to men between the ages of 20 and 34. Nationally, one in 30 men within that age rage are behind bars. Take the focus down one more step, to black males in that age group, and the ratio is a staggering one in nine.

The financial costs are monumental - all told across our 50 states America spent roughly $49 billion on corrections. Compare that to the expenses of 20 years ago, a total of $11 billion.

Though our rates of lock up are the highest in the world, the report indicates that when it comes to public safety, the very reason for locking up such offenders, there has been little return on the exorbitant expense levels. In fact, the report noted that such prison growth rates came not as a result of an increase in crime or simply an increase in population but as a result of new three-strike laws and tougher sentencing measures.

Robbing Peter to Pay Paul
The Report notes the results of our decisions. In a subsection entitled “Crowding Out Other Priorities,” the pure dollar figures means that each state spends about 7% of all tax dollars on incarceration. Some states have rates pushing 10% (Oregon) while others stand at about 3% (Minnesota).

As but another fact to consider, as numerous states struggle with budget issues, the rate of increase in prison expenditures for 2006 was 9.2%. That increase, trailing only the increased costs of transportation, is causing many states to cut spend for education and other social services.

While states did collectively increase funding for higher education an inflation-adjusted 21% between 1987 and 2007, states spending on prisons rose an inflation-adjusted 127%. In our neck of the woods, the Northeast, the 20 year period has seen an inflation-adjusted increase in prison spending of 61% and a decrease in higher education spending of 5.5%.

While most of the focus seems to be on changing sentencing patterns, at least some states have begun to realize that investing in prevention is actually the better way to go. One such aspect, the opportunity for a child to attend a high-quality pre-kindergarten program has a definitive correlation with both school success and in later life. The report notes the High/Scope Perry Pre-School study study that calculates the total benefit-cost ratio of 16:1, that for every one dollar spent on such a program a state gets $16 in return through reduced prison rates as well as other social costs.

Fortunately, according to report, new state pre-K funding exceeded $525 million in FY 2008, an increase of more that 12% over FY 2007. This has helped push our current expenditures on early education to about $4.8 billion.

Two Prong Solution Needed
Clearly one potential solution is to address the mandatory sentencing guidelines, especially those related to non-violent crimes. If the mandatory sentencing guidelines are not leading to a decrease in overall crime then those guidelines must be revamped.

In addition, we think it is time to review our approach to the so-called war on drugs, one of the most expensive failures in our country’s history. The time and money spent fighting an arbitrarily defined illegal drug trade must be rethought, especially in light of the fact that we currently sanction a legal drug trade of two of the worst drugs known to man, tobacco and alcohol. The inconsistency in this arena certainly deserves consideration.

But most importantly, we need to think prevention and the best way is to invest in our children. We noted earlier the return on our money, as high as 16:1, for equal access to quality preschool and educational opportunities. A child with a future becomes an adult with hope.

Last year we spent $49 billion on the punishment side and but $4.8 billion on the investment end. That represents a 10:1 ratio in the wrong direction.

It is time we as a country began rethinking our priorities. The $49 billion figure must be addressed immediately - since we are not deterring crime with our approach, we are essentially wasting precious tax dollars. At the same time, for every dollar that prison figure is reduced, those dollars and a matching amount should be added to the investment end.

This is one place where our politicians must find some common ground for the good of America. The appalling one in one hundred ratio is a number that everyone can relate to and should be an unequivocal call to action.

Photos by StillBurning and Ntang.