You Know Prison is Big Business When...

You Know Prison is Big Business When...

Criminal correction spending is outpacing budget growth in education, transportation and public assistance, based on state and federal data.

States have shown a preference for prison spending even though it is cheaper to monitor convicts in community programs, including probation and parole, which require offenders to report to law enforcement officers. A survey of 34 states found that states spent an average of $29,000 a year on prisoners, compared with $1,250 on probationers and $2,750 on parolees. The study found that despite more spending on prisons, recidivism rates remained largely unchanged.

From the NYT.