Waldman agreed, noting that "the magnitude of the problem has been hiding in plain sight." He emphasized the importance of economic data, saying that "the rigor and the impact of economic analysis is matchless" in offering "measurable costs and benefits" and "consequences" of incarceration.
And there are also unseen costs of incarceration, the report noted. Children are growing up without their fathers around. Marriages fall apart with the husband in prison. Families fall into poverty without the breadwinner working. Children with a parent in prison are at higher risk for psychological disorders, struggles at school, and unemployment.
And for those who do get released from prison, life doesn't get easier. Those with a criminal record are 50 percent less likely to receive a call back from a prospective employer or a job offer than another applicant with a similar application, and that disparity widens among black applicants.
Unemployment is a leading cause of recidivism – 60 percent of parolees are back behind bars within three years of their release, Brooks noted. Only one in three inmates has "access" to job training or other educational programs in prison, leaving them "entirely unprepared for life after prison," he added.
What can be done to reduce America's incarcerated population while keeping the country safe? Some claim that a tough-on-crime stance brought more criminals behind bars and was responsible for the drop in crime in the last couple of decades, but that might not necessarily be the case, the report claimed.
Yes, the crime rate goes down as the incarceration rate goes up, but there are diminishing returns for every increase in the incarceration rate. With more incarcerations, more low-level offenders are in jail.
Instead, other investments may actually pay better dividends for public safety. Several economic studies cited concluded that investments in police and in education are far more "cost-effective" than greater incarceration or stricter sentencing.
Police investment could pay off, according to one study in Oregon which found that after mass layoffs of state troopers, the incidents of traffic deaths and injuries spiked. A stronger police presence could possibly have resulted in fewer traffic incidents.
"Offering more correctional education and job training for inmates and the formerly incarcerated can reduce barriers to reentry and decrease recidivism," the report's conclusion suggested.
And a higher graduation rate could mean fewer incarcerations in the future. One 2004 study estimated that, according to 1990 costs and benefits, "a 1 percent increase in the total high school graduation rate generates a $1.4 billion benefit due to reductions in crime rates."
Photo credit: pixs4u via www.shutterstock.com.
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Matt Hadro was the political editor at Catholic News Agency through October 2021. He previously worked as CNA senior D.C. correspondent and as a press secretary for U.S. Congressman Chris Smith.