Michigan is one of four states that spends more money on prisons than on higher education. A study by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that Michigan spends $1.19 on prisons for every $1 it spends on higher education. Michigan spends nearly 23% of its general fund on prisons, an amount equal to a little over $2 billion. In comparison, it spends only $1.7 million on higher education.
The study found that overall, more than one in every one-hundred people are in jails or prison. The prison population has decreased slightly in Michigan over the past year but it increased in 36 states and in the federal system. Overall, 2.3 million people are in prison, many of whom are people of color. Statistics cited in the report show that one in fifteen African-American adults are in prison. One in nine African-American men between the ages of 20 and 34 are in prison.
