Today's Stat

Some statistics compiled on prisons and incarceration rates in Illinois by Metropolis 2020. They were sited on the 848 show on NPR this morning.

Each year approx. 40,000 people are incarcerated in Illinois. An equal number is released. Of those released, 1/2 will return to prison in three years. 40% of those incarcerated are in prison for non-violent drug offenses.

They quoted a couple of numbers for the costs. $20,000 per year to incarcerate an adult (I think there was another number quoted and this one seems lowball to me). They also said it costs $70,000 to house and treat juvenile prisoners.

The teaser to the interview said that if all the prisoners in Illinois were put together they would constitute the 3rd largest city in Illinois.