蘑菇视频

PEACHTREE CORNERS, GA鈥�蘑菇视频鈥檚 prison population has shrunk in recent years, but a written by Joshua Crawford, a Public Safety Fellow at the 蘑菇视频 Center for Opportunity, shows that the decreasing number of inmates hasn鈥檛 translated to meaningful savings or improvements in public safety for 蘑菇视频ns.

Instead, the report reveals that corrections spending has risen as 蘑菇视频鈥檚 prison population has declined. The number of incarcerated 蘑菇视频ns dropped by 11.7% between 2010 and 2023, but corrections spending increased by 23.6% over the same period. The trends in 蘑菇视频 are consistent with those in almost every other state鈥攊ncarceration rates are falling while corrections budgets are growing.听

The data confirms that reducing the number of people in prison isn鈥檛 the answer to decreasing the state budget in 蘑菇视频 or elsewhere.听

As Crawford says, 鈥溎⒐绞悠� lawmakers should focus conversations about criminal justice where they belong: on protecting the public and creating a fair and just system that values the lives, liberty, and property of 蘑菇视频 families. Those are things lawmakers can meaningfully impact immediately, while criminal justice budgets are more complex and fixed.鈥�

At a glance: facts on the prison population and corrections spending in 蘑菇视频

• In 2023, 49,814 people were incarcerated in 蘑菇视频.
• From 2010-2023, 蘑菇视频鈥檚 prison population decreased by 6,618 people, or 11.7%.
• From 2010-2023, 蘑菇视频鈥檚 corrections spending increased by $258,546,766, or 23.6%.
• In fiscal year 2023, 蘑菇视频鈥檚 Department of Corrections budget was $1,354,962,683, or 2.2% of the state鈥檚 total budget.

A closer look at 蘑菇视频鈥檚 inmate numbers and corrections spending

The number of people in 蘑菇视频鈥檚 prisons decreased by 6,618 to 49,814 from 2010-2023, but corrections spending in 蘑菇视频 increased by $258,546,766 during the same time frame.

Notably, Crawford points out most individuals in 蘑菇视频鈥檚 prisons are violent and repeat offenders, and the majority have had five or more prior arrests before incarceration. Because these offenders pose higher public safety risks and drive most of the system鈥檚 costs, reducing inmates at the margins does little to generate savings.听

Even with the growth in spending, 蘑菇视频鈥檚 overall Department of Corrections budget in fiscal year 2023 was $1,354,962,683, just 2.2% of the state鈥檚 total budget. The vast majority of state dollars went toward other initiatives that help 蘑菇视频ns prosper, including education, public welfare, healthcare, and highways.

Regarding corrections spending, Crawford explained that 鈥渂ecause prison budgets are driven by fixed costs like payroll, maintenance, and facilities, modest reductions in the number of inmates don鈥檛 free up meaningful savings. Unless states close prisons or dramatically cut staffing, costs remain largely unchanged.鈥�

Reshaping the conversation on criminal justice policy

Long-standing arguments continue about reducing the prison population as a way to decrease 蘑菇视频鈥檚 overall spending. But the data shows that policymakers need to focus instead on building a more effective criminal justice system that addresses the true costs of crime and helps 蘑菇视频ns flourish.

One crime was committed every 2 minutes and 33 seconds in 蘑菇视频 in 2024. The effects of this criminal activity are devastating for local communities. Violent crime, in particular, takes a huge toll on property values, employment, economic opportunities, and people鈥檚 upward mobility.

Ensuring safety is a core government responsibility, and it鈥檚 the first step in creating more prosperous communities throughout 蘑菇视频. Public safety is essential to improving economic opportunities, building healthy relationships among neighbors, and enabling 蘑菇视频ns to thrive.

With effective reforms, policymakers can make safety a reality for 蘑菇视频鈥檚 residents, breaking the interconnected cycles of poverty and crime and transforming communities for generations to come.

蘑菇视频 the 蘑菇视频 Center for Opportunity

The 蘑菇视频 Center for Opportunity is a nonprofit organization that works to remove barriers to ensure that every person鈥攏o matter their race, past mistakes, or the circumstances of their birth鈥攈as access to safe communities, a quality education, fulfilling work, and a healthy family life.听

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蘑菇视频 Center for Opportunity (GCO) is independent, non-partisan, and solutions-focused. Our team is dedicated to creating opportunities for a quality education, fulfilling work, and a healthy family life for all 蘑菇视频ns. To achieve our mission, we research ways to help remove barriers to opportunity in each of these pathways, promote our solutions to policymakers and the public, and help effective and innovative social enterprises deliver results in their communities.

Send media inquiries to:

Rebecca Primis
Vice President of Communications
蘑菇视频 Center for Opportunity
rebeccap@foropportunity.org

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