Public Overwhelmingly Agrees: Prisons Are Impotent
by Anthony Sibley (AJ) on Mar 6, 2014 | Views: 413 | Score: 5
| Strongly Agree... some money spent on low-risk, non-violent inmates should be shifted to alternatives to incarceration (%) | Total Agree (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 67 | 91 |
| Independents | 57 | 85 |
| Republicans | 49 | 77 |
Sources:
pewstates.org, nytimes.com

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A recent Pew study found widespread support across party, age, and ethnic groups for shorter sentences and alternatives to incarceration for non-violent crimes. Studies have shown these methods, such as probation periods, to be equally-- or more-- effective than simply locking more individuals up for longer times. Irrefutably, these measures are less expensive: annually, the U.S. pays $31,286 per prisoner.