More Education, Less Incarceration:

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FIN 620 Discussion Board – State spending on incarceration in the U.S.

NOTE: Review and Read before answering the questions.

Perspectives on Incarceration Spending in the United States These readings and videos provide background on issues related to mass incarceration in the United States, and why this issue has become a social, financial, and political problem for many states. • Watch a YouTube video on Mass Incarceration in the United States: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaPBcUUqbew • Watch a YouTube video on California spending on incarceration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPg-bG-C18U • Watch a You Tube video on prison privatization in California: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_CxK0S_Y-0 • Review The Growth of Incarceration in the United States: Exploring Causes and Consequences (Travis, Western, & Redburn, 2014), chapter 13, Role of Policy: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1026&context=jj_pubs

Perspectives on Justice Reform Initiatives in the United States These readings and videos provide background on justice reform initiatives at state and federal levels and why these initiatives are gaining traction in many states. Michigan’s efforts to reduce its prison population is featured. • Review article “Decarceration Strategies: How Five States Achieved Substantial Prison Population Reductions” by Schrantz et al. (2018). Retrieve a downloadable PDF file from https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/decarceration-strategies-5-states-achieved- substantial-prison-population-reductions/ • Watch a You Tube video on Michigan Prisoner Reentry Initiative (MPRI): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcZiwu0gb1Y • Watch a You Tube video on justice reform initiatives in Louisiana: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_KavklIyYA • Watch a You Tube video on federal criminal justice reform initiatives: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dFimSF4qLg

Perspectives on Education Spending in the United States These readings and videos provide background on challenges with funding education in states and approaches on how states fund these initiatives. • Review an information sheet from the Education Commission of the States – Response to Information Request on Marijuana Legalization and & K-12 Education: https://www.ecs.org/wp- content/uploads/State_Inf_Req_Marijuana-adminstration_school-safety.pdf • Review article, For Schools, Gambling Funding is no Jackpot (Kirk, 2017) by CityLab: https://www.citylab.com/equity/2017/02/for-schools-gambling-funding-is-no-jackpot/516927/ • Watch a You Tube video Ted Talk on school funding in Fairfax County, Virginia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5snhbU5uSUc

Perspectives on State Budgets These readings and videos provide definitions, concepts, guidance, and typical revenue sources for states to fund various priorities and highlights the size and complexity of state budgets. • Watch a You Tube video on Minnesota’s General Fund (Note: some details are specific to Minnesota such as a 2-year budget cycle, number of state revenue sources, and proportion of a given revenue source comprising its general fund): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzUZ1NKfa-Q

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• Watch a You Tube video Ted Talk by Bill Gates on state budgets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiUKpX09zo4 • Review publication, Facts & Figures: How does your state compare (2019) from Tax Foundation. Retrieve a downloadable PDF file from https://taxfoundation.org/facts-figures-2019/ • Review publication, Tax Handbook for State Legislators (3rd ed.) (2010) from National Council of State Legislatures: http://www.ncsl.org/documents/fiscal/TaxPolicyHandbook3rdEdition.pdf