How much money would it save the federal government if nonviolent drug offenders were released from federal?

Question

prisons?

Answer 1

SUMMARY: The fee to cover the average cost of incarceration for Federal
inmates in Fiscal Year 2006 was $24,440
http://cryptome.org/bop060607-2.htm

As of 2003 there were 161,673 federal prisoners and 55% were in for non-violent drug offenses. http://www.sentencingproject.org/Admin/Documents/publications/inc_federalprisonpop.pdf

so (.55)(161,673)(24,440)= 2,169,651,660 dollars just for the federal prisoners.



There are over 2,300,000 prisoners if you include all of the state, local, military, and native lands prisons. If the rates stay the same, I would estimate the total annual cost to the United States for non-violent drug incarceration is approximately $30 billion dollars. That number doesn't count prosecution, investigation, lost wages and income tax revenue, families going on welfare and other dependency programs because the father/mother is in jail, etc. . .

Answer 2

The real question is how many of trillions of dollars could the Government save and make, by legalizing marijuana. Just on the war of pot, not other hard illicit drugs, the government spends upwards of 14 billion a year. And still usage and availability still increase year after year. Allow a growers license and tax it. You automatically save 14 BILLION a year, and then have taxation income. And before you start in with all the just say no propaganda. Take a look at the LaGuardia Commission report on marijuana use in New York in the 30's, and The Report of the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse
Marijuana: A Signal of Misunderstanding
Commissioned by President Richard M. Nixon, March, 1972, which is the most comprehensive study of the effects of marijuana to date. Most of what you have been told by the government and your after school specials regarding marijuana is a load of crap. But yeah its illegal, and it costs the tax payers Billions. Good job.

Answer 3

You know, I really don't care if they are violent or non-violent! They were sentenced to jail for a crime, many drug related. You usually do not end up in prison on a 1st offense non-violent crime!

You are worried about saving the government money by releasing criminals a few short years ago you were clamoring to be sent to jail! Besides, the most you would be letting out of federal prisons are all the white collar crime! They belong in jail more than many in jail the states!

I think you could save far more by getting corporations off of welfare and ending a war in Iraq!

Answer 4

I've read that it's 30-40 billion per year. The trouble is that it would be political suicide for any US politician to do anything which would release a significant number of prisoners. Reform of the sentencing guidelines? Forget it, unless it goes in the direction of keeping people in jail for longer.

Answer 5

Another good question. Our "war on drugs" has put so many cannabis users behind bars it's ridiculous.

The Netherlands tolerates use and small possessions, and they don't have a rampant drug problem.

Yet here we are, imprisoning people for using a mere weed, whose effect is far less than alcohol. In fact, I've met drinkers who prefer the alcohol as the overall effect is much heavier.

Answer 6

Around 30 billion dollars . Enough to provide medical care for every child under the age of 18 for free .

Answer 7

Your tracks are showing and your ideologies suddenly making sense. You might want to roll down your sleeves.

Answer 8

None

It would cost more, an enormous sum to fund the law enforcement to stop them from robbing, burglarizing and thieving against innocent people.

But I wager you have a "solution" for that. Give them free heroin and cocaine, right? Typical druggie question.