The U.S. spends billions to lock people up, but very little to help them once they’re released

The U.S. spends $81 billion a year on mass incarceration, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, and that figure might be an underestimate. In 2017, the Prison Policy Initiative estimated the actual cost on state and federal governments and impacted families is roughly $182 billion. Those dollars go to staffing the criminal justice system and meeting the basic needs of the more than 2 million Americans who are incarcerated.

Featuring quotes from CEO and President JoAnne Page and Executive Vice President Stanley Richards.