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The problem of Criminal Justice Reform is vast. The number of people incarcerated has grown by 500% over the past 40 years, surpassing 2 million people. The US leads the world with the largest prison population and incarceration rate of any country.

People of color represent more than 60% of those in prison. Black men are six times as likely to be incarcerated as white men, and Latino men are 2.7 times as likely. To top it off, women’s incarceration has grown at double the rate of men’s.

The enormous prison population has had a massive effect on American’s pocketbooks, constraining our ability to make critical investments. For example, since the 1980s, California’s prison budget rose to $12 billion a year, and the state has built 22 prisons, but only one state university. The US pays a staggering $80 billion each year, and the human cost is incalculable.

America MUST substantially reduce the number of people in the criminal justice system and dramatically cut corrections spending, with resources channeled instead to communities in need. The US needs to fashion an effective new approach to public safety that lifts those most harmed and least helped by current policies.

We would like to thank The Hill for the content. Click HERE for the original comprehensive article.