Million Dollar Incarceration raising several questions

Washington Post - Million $ Blocks

Something we discussed this past Monday from the reading on NPR in class is the process of creating these million dollar blocks in popular cities. One city that is drastically affected by these "million dollar blocks" is Chicago. Chicago has always been a center for crime - housing one of the most notorious Mafia bosses in history. Despite it's dark history with the Mob, Chicago has had an epidemic of incarceration ranging from basic drug charges to manslaughter and homicide. While most crimes such as homicide and manslaughter are deemed appropriate for prison time, many of the petty crimes are sucking up taxpayer money. For example, marijuana is classified as a schedule 1 drug, implying that it is against federal law to use and distribute. However, many other states such as Colorado and Washington, decriminalized Marijuana charges which drastically decreased the amount of incarcerations. In order to prevent these million dollar blocks, there needs to be massive reform. We need to figure out how we can properly incarcerate individuals who need it, and find ways to sift out those charges that are not necessary. We are pouring money into neighborhoods who will continue to have high rates of incarceration. This is because we do not have the infrastructure to properly invest into these neighborhoods (reducing crime rates over time), and instead we have taken the easy route out by just throwing the trouble makers in prison and having taxpayers pay for it - in hopes that prison time will prevent people from re-committing crimes.

So the main question is: What would happen if we re-directed our resources from mass incarceration costs, to investing in poor neighborhoods?

While it isn't as easy as it sounds, it is still feasible. By decriminalizing many charges such as Marijuana, we can reduce the amount of people going into the prison system drastically. With that money alone you can invest into struggling neighborhoods through institutions such as schooling and public works (parks and recreational maintenance). Many of the individuals in these million dollar blocks do not have the opportunities that others have. By investing and restoring struggling neighborhoods (obviously not through public housing - because that failed miserably) we can open up new paths for individuals who wouldn't of had those options prior. As a country that is shoulder deep in it's own debt, we need to find solutions like this where we can work to reduce our misfortune. The easiest way to tackle a large number of incarcerations is to decriminalize Marijuana. Until then, we are going to continue to see skyrocketing rates of incarcerations in today's society.