On April 7th, the NAACP released a new report, Misplaced Priorities, that examines America’s escalating levels of prison spending and its impact on state budgets and our nation’s children.
Misplaced Priorities tracks the steady shift of state funds away from education and toward the criminal justice system. Researchers have found that over-incarceration most often impacts vulnerable and minority populations, and that it destabilizes communities.
The report is part of the NAACP’s “Smart and Safe Campaign,” and offers a set of recommendations that will help policymakers in all 50 states downsize prison populations and shift the savings to education budgets.
Cities profiled include Houston, TX; Indianapolis, In; Jackson, MS; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; and Philadelphia, PA. The stories of three individuals are also included, Marlo A. Hargrove Sr, Baltimore MD; Kenny Harrigan, New York, NY; and Hamedah Hasan, Nebraska.
