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Nearly half of the incarcerated population in the United States are non-violent drug offenders, people who can not afford their bail, and those who have failed to pay debts or fines for minor infractions. Poverty has contributed greatly to America’s high rate of imprisonment, and has disproportionately affected minority populations.

Of the 2.2 million currently incarcerated, nearly 500,000 are being held for drug offenses. The majority of them were arrested for simple possession, a non-violent crime.

555,000 people are being held in pre-trial, primarily because they are unable to afford bail. Three-fourths of these individuals have been accused of low-level drug or property crimes, or other non-violent offenses.

Others still have been imprisoned indirectly for their poverty, such as violations related to homelessness. Homelessness makes an individual 11 times more likely to be incarcerated, and being incarcerated makes a person 10 times more likely to be homeless. More than a quarter of the homeless individuals in the US reported being arrested for activities related to their homelessness. With more than 552,000 people estimated to be homeless in America, that proportion amounts to 143,000 being arrested for homelessness.

Another significant share of the incarcerated populous consists of individuals who have been arrested for failure to pay debts or fines owed for minor infractions. Courts require defendants, guilty or not, to pay fees related to the court process. Forty-three states require the accused to pay for their court-appointed attorney even if they are found not guilty. Despite the fact that imprisoning and individual for inability to pay has been ruled unconstitutional, failure to pay, or rather, failure to comply with a court order can result in imprisonment.

The United States is currently imprisoning roughly 1 million people for low-level drug offenses, property crimes, and various offenses indirectly related to their poverty. Roughly half a million people are imprisoned because of their inability to pay for their release. An estimated 10 million people owe $50 billion in legal fees, fines, and penalties. The use of cash bail and monetary penalties punishes people for their poverty, disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities, and fails to provide a deterrent. Future policy solutions should work to alleviate poverty and unemployment and to impose non-monetary punishments for low-income offenders when appropriate. Without reducing poverty and income inequality, racial bias, and the overcriminalization of activities related to poverty, the United States will not meaningfully reduce its prison population.

We would like to thank the American Action Forum for the content. Click HERE to view the original comprehensive article.