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The true cost of prisons and jails is higher than many realize, researchers say (www.npr.org)

submitted 1 week ago by Powderhorn@beehaw.org to c/usnews@beehaw.org

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Nearly 1 in 2 Americans has had an immediate family member incarcerated, with Black people being more likely than white and Hispanic people to experience this. That's a problem, in part, because having a relative in prison is expensive.

According to a report released this week from FWD.us, an advocacy organization aimed at criminal justice reform, having a loved one in prison or jail is estimated to cost families across the country nearly $350 billion each year — about four times the amount the federal government estimates it costs taxpayers annually to operate the nation's prisons and jails.

On average, people with a family member behind bars spend around $4,000 a year on their incarcerated loved ones, the report says.

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[–] Megaman_EXE@beehaw.org 3 points 1 week ago (2 children)

1 in 2 seems insane to me. That's so many people

[–] Powderhorn@beehaw.org 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I've been incarcerated, as has my college roommate. My immediate family consists only of my parents, but in his case, he has two siblings in addition to his parents. So that's six people from only two examples.

[–] Megaman_EXE@beehaw.org 3 points 1 week ago

I think out of my immediate family, I only know 1 person who has been incarcerated on my significant others side. I'm not from the states. I knew the rate was high in the states but that seems way higher than I expected