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Abstract

provide everything deemed necessary for those who are confined there — some for very long periods of time. This, as Vera’s survey results confirm, is an expensive endeavor. A common measure used by states to understand this cost is the “average cost per inmate,” calculated by taking the total state spending on prisons and dividing it by the average daily prison population. <a href="https://www.vera.org/publications/price-of-prisons-2015-state-spending-trends/price-of-prisons-2015-state-spending-trends/price-of-prisons-2015-state-spending-trends-prison-spending#:~:text=Among%20the%2045%20states%20that,of%20%2469%2C355%20in%20New%20York.">This figure</a> represents the amount the state spends annually, on average, to staff and maintain the prisons and provide all prison services. Among the 45 states that provided data (representing 1.29 million of the 1.33 million total people incarcerated in all 50 state prison systems), the total cost per inmate averaged $33,274 and ranged from a low of$ 14,780 in Alabama to a high of $69,355 in New York (source: vera.org).<blockquote id="f289">A person could get a whole college education for the cost states (

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which is code for our tax dollars) spend on inmates.</blockquote>If we focused on educating the parts of society with fewer resources and provided them with more resources, we would have lower incarceration rates for people of color. No doubt.Hi There! I’m <a href="https://readmedium.com/about-me-destiny-s-harris-a598f362bc2c">Destiny</a>. <a href="https://destinyharris.substack.com/subscribe?utm_source=menu&simple=true&next=https%3A%2F%2Fdestinyharris.substack.com%2F">Join my newsletter</a>, and get <a href="https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B01LXU67CA?_encoding=UTF8&offset=0&pageSize=12&searchAlias=stripbooks&sort=price-asc-rank&page=1&langFilter=default&linkCode=ll2&tag=textdestiny-medium-20&linkId=8005a57eb16d7a7466363ea720d3ee2d&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl">free books</a> daily. Continue reading more articles on prison stuff: <a href="https://readmedium.com/articles-on-black-stuff-racism-2bc2eabe6d9d">here</a>. If you’re not a medium member, <a href="https://destinyharris.medium.com/membership">sign up</a>.</article></body>

It’s Cheaper To Go To College Than To Go To Prison

Prison & Jail Facts

1 in 100 Americans is locked up. 1 in 9 black individuals is locked up.

The numbers only continue to escalate. The disparity is evident and significant amongst incarcerated African-Americans.

Talk to any black person, and most likely, they know another black person or know of a black person within their social circles who is in jail or has gone to jail. Often the crimes are minor, or they didn’t commit the crimes. But even for more significant crimes, they still get harsher sentences than their white counterparts.

It’s good business to lock people up — especially people of color who have fewer resources to fight their case.

Because prisons are institutions where all aspects of life are conducted and administered, they must provide everything deemed necessary for those who are confined there — some for very long periods of time. This, as Vera’s survey results confirm, is an expensive endeavor. A common measure used by states to understand this cost is the “average cost per inmate,” calculated by taking the total state spending on prisons and dividing it by the average daily prison population. This figure represents the amount the state spends annually, on average, to staff and maintain the prisons and provide all prison services. Among the 45 states that provided data (representing 1.29 million of the 1.33 million total people incarcerated in all 50 state prison systems), the total cost per inmate averaged $33,274 and ranged from a low of $14,780 in Alabama to a high of $69,355 in New York (source: vera.org).

A person could get a whole college education for the cost states (which is code for our tax dollars) spend on inmates.

If we focused on educating the parts of society with fewer resources and provided them with more resources, we would have lower incarceration rates for people of color. No doubt.

Hi There! I’m Destiny. Join my newsletter, and get free books daily. Continue reading more articles on prison stuff: here. If you’re not a medium member, sign up.