The Pew Center on the States has just released One in 31: The Long Reach of American Corrections, which provides a valuable portrait of corrections in the U.S. today. It is packed with valuable information, charts and graphs. And it couldn’t come at a better time as states across the country are facing massive deficits.
All told, over $68 billion was spent on corrections last year. Of this, the states spent $51.7 billion, which was one of every 15 general fund dollars. This is a 300 percent increase over 20 years ago, crowding out much needed funding for schools, roads and hospitals. Despite this huge increase in corrections spending, the recidivism rates have remained the same.
Clearly, our government leaders have to do something different. We just aren’t getting the “bang for the buck” from our corrections spending. The Pew Report provides a great deal of information about what we are spending, where it is being spent, and what the demographics are of those under correctional supervision. Of particular value are the factsheets for each of the 50 states. The report will be a goldmine of information for governors, state legislators, and reform advocates as they work to keep the public safe with fewer dollars. The good news is that the report demonstrates that it is possible to do that and provides examples of where it is working.
One fact jumped off the page at me. While over two thirds of the offenders are being supervised in the community, only 10% of correctional dollars are spent on them. Ninety percent is spent on prisons. This shortchanges the probation and parole staffs by severely underfunding them and burdening them with horrendous caseloads, and it essentially abandons those offenders struggling to make the difficult transition from prison to freedom. And, it increases the risk to the public.
From: Prison Fellowship
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