Vermont is for prisoners

The 99 of every 100 adults in America who aren’t behind bars have had a few weeks to reflect on that sobering statistic from the Pew “One in 100″ report. The United States continues to lead the free world — and the rest of the world too, give or take China — in per capita incarceration. If we want it, Minnesota probably has a claim on being the best of the worst. The 2.7 percent of the state’s general fund expenditures going toward corrections is second-lowest in the country. And Minnesota ranks dead last in the ratio of its spending on corrections versus higher education: only 17 cents go to jail for every dollar that goes to school.

It might surprise Minnesotans who’d vote for Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.) if they could and who buy Ben and Jerry’s ice cream on principle, that Vermont tops the states in that last ranking, spending $1.37 on corrections for every higher-ed dollar.

Felony stalking by bird-watchers? Maple syrup thefts? Communal domestic disturbances? Media in Vermont put it down to a chronically-starved education budget and small, inefficient prisons. Vermont has only one-fourth as many prisoners as Minnesota, but employs one-third as many corrections workers (U.S. Census).