Research Paper on:
Economic Impact of Prisons

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
and how prisons harm the economy. Interestingly enough, while prisons do cost, and sometimes cost a great deal, it seems that prisons also help the economy of various areas as  well. In the following paper we examine the information available as it pertains to the economy and the prisons. Prisons and the Economy In our first examination of  the relationship between the economy and prisons we look at some conditions in California. "Amid the posturing in California last year around crime, a watershed moment passed virtually unnoticed. For  the first time in the states history, the budget for corrections equals that for higher education" (Schiraldi, 1995; p. 43). We find that a few years prior to that  such was not the case. "In fiscal year 1983/84, higher education was 10% of the states budget and corrections 4%. Since then, the state has added a whopping 25,900 correctional  employees, substantially more than have been added to all other state departments combined (16,000)" (Schiraldi, 1995; p. 43). And, during the same time period higher education actually lost approximately "8,100  employees. In fiscal 1994/95 higher education and corrections will each take 9.8% of the budget" (Schiraldi, 1995; p. 43). In 1994 "California Governor Pete Wilson proposed adding 2,900 correctional  employees to the California Department of Corrections -- more correctional workers than are individually employed by 25 other states. The governor has proposed cutting all other departments by 3,100 employees,  including 1,000 higher education staff" (Schiraldi, 1995; p. 43). Clearly this was a condition that would impact the economy, perhaps negatively. The primary foundation behind the increase in cost  is that which relates to the "Three Strikes and Youre Out bill signed into law on March 7, 1994 and passed by a referendum on November 8, 1994" (Schiraldi, 1995;