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Prison reform

Background info

America holds 1.5 million people in prison—2.2 million if you include jails.

56% of prisoners in state prison and 45% in federal prisons report having a mental illness. Although black people make up 13% of the American population, they make up 35% of the prison population.

Vera Institute of Justice

The cost of running our prison system in America is $182 billion a year.

Who profits off of our prison system? Almost half of the money spent on running the correctional system goes to paying staff. Private companies that supply goods to commissaries or provide phone services bring in $2.9 billion.

Prison Policy Initiative

The positions

Conservative

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