Education vs Prison Costs in the United States

Educating a student costs a lot of money, but incarcerating someone in the United States costs much more because of the required 24/7 care and supervision of prisoners. The data from the 40 US states with operating prisons in 2010 reveals just how much money the US government spent on the incarcerated in contrast to elementary/secondary school students.

Sources: Vera Institute of Justice; US Census Bureau.