Then we’re talking billions nearing the trillion mark I’d like to imagine it’s costing the u.s. government 50billion to 1 trillion dollars in housing inmates, laws and lost revenue it could be making all together
Most prisons are state ran, unless its federal prison. One reason you see a ramp up on prison numbers and cost, is because of private contracted prisons. Ran by third party company to build , and maintain. and then rooms are "rented" out. They ( the state or federal Gov't) get charged for every room, empty or not. so, if they have empty room, they still have to pay. So they need bodies in there.