What would happen if this country could spend the money it spends on prisons on education instead?

Answer 1

people would be educated so there would be less crime

Answer 2

You would have educated people instead of convicts. I have a better one for you. The thing is though we couldn't just do that. We would need to make some adjustments first. The thing is the focus of our spending power seems to be for intimidation and enforcement. We spend billions and billions and billions on efforts that are negative, war is the biggest offender. Not only does it cost us the lives of our famlies, it costs a ton of money at the beginning. Sure, now we are down to 2 billion this year for Iraq and 2 bilion this year for Afghanistan, but do you remember what happened at the beginning? In 2001 we blew through a trillion dollar surplus with X amount of bombs in less then 6 months. Now we want to engage Iran? If we spent this attention nationally, we could solve homelessness, we could make sure everyone had medical coverage, we could make sure everyone got a college education, we could make sure our elders are cared for properly and with dignity, we could make work for everyone and spread around some of the american pie. Right now 2% of the population has 89% of the money. It basically means that the purchasing and spending power lies with corporate america, who control the lobbyists who hint at the contracts that slip into the senate floor. There seems to be no interest in helping the average american become anything more then average. Heck, with the money we generate in this economy it should be outstanding for all of us, not just average.

Answer 3

Interesting question and food for thought. I wonder how much money the prison system spends on educating the prisoners? They have great libraries and internet service and a lot of prisoners study law while there. They have it better than most of us. I have to pay for my education and my stamps and my cable, etc., and I'm a law abiding citizen.

There would probably be more educated law breakers. They would try and get away with more intricate crimes.

Answer 4

Present leaders are still too fearful of death that they dare not think of turning prisons into schools. They wrongly believe that punishment maintains better order than education.
In reality, education alone will secure peace not only for them, but for all people in the human society now and far into the future until when education degrades again.
Most of the mass and people of good will protest against prison, but have not given firm initiatives for education. Our world will improve only when more people give greater awareness to education. Yes, a civilized world must be a world of learning, not of brutal domination. Hail to education, learning, civilization.

Answer 5

We would still need prisons but a whole lot less of them. You would have to make drugs legal at the same time and put that money into education too. Then we would be like the Netherlands were drugs are legal they have less prisons and LESS drug use and LESS crime.
That would put alot of people out of business like drug dealers the FBI would have to lay people off . You keep talking like that an they will label you a subversive and you will get your phone tapped either way you will never get press to tell anyone anyway.

Answer 6

We'd get the same education, but waste more money on useless junk.

MONEY is not the answer to our education problems. Better techniques and a competitive atmosphere would do more to increase our education system. Every service business is continually improving efficiency and effectiveness, except our "Public" service programs. Bureaucratic self-interest destroys what possible good could be achieved in our current education system.

Answer 7

There would be alot MORE crime if we had no prisons. What needs to happen.... this country should spend all the money on education instead of stupid useless wars!!!

Answer 8

Convicts would be allowed to roam the streets with no concern of being thrown in prison.

Not all convicts would volunteer to go back to school if given the opportunity, and of those that did, a significant percentage would end up committing crimes in any case.

I know a lot of people that have had their education cut short because of situations beyond their control. They struggle along, leading miserable existences, yet they never resort to crime as a means of survival.

Answer 9

If we did that, we would ultimately spend less money in the future on prisons. But unfortunately our politicians don't think in a simple manner.

Answer 10

A study was done years ago in Cincinatti
Public education $5,300 per student - high drop out rate
Catholic school system $3,500 - very small drop out rate

why throw more money at the problem - money is not the answer

fund private schools - they are doing the better job

Answer 11

We would probably have less crime. the only problem is, cutting prison funds would mean the lives of prisoners might become a little tougher, and we wouldn't want them to feel anything but comfortable in their current conditions.
It a criminals world!