The average cost per state of educating a child compared to the cost of housing a prisoner. The GIF below uses data from the Vera Institute of Justice’s 2012 “Price of Prisons” report and 2012 U.S. Census data on public school costs.
Thanks Mike (from Spain)
apples and oranges, you don’t house the students.
The argument is to better invest in education and in turn, lower the investment in for imprisonment. However, since most prisons are privately owned, it’s not in their best interest to have a better educated population, as it would cut into their profit margin. Actually, it’s not in their interest to take away incarceration for low level pot possession. So, even if you aren’t into education, you just might be into legalization of pot, it might be beneficial to know who controls your Congressman on that issue.
The biggest deltas are in blue states. And yet they wonder…
and exactly what do they wonder?
Apparently you haven’t a clue as to what you even mean since you can’t supply an answer. So we can write your comment as another worthless waste.
Part of the cost is also the security. Most school children are not a direct threat or danger to society.
Do prison guards make more money than teachers?
There are many variables. Starting vs long term, elementary vs high school and locations to start with. A quick research shows the difference is minimal.