According to the U.S. Department of Justice out of the national total of correctional populations 41.3% do not have a high school degree, 23.4% have a GED, 22.6 percent have a high school diploma, & 12.7% have been to college, received a postsecondary program certificate, an associates degree, a bachelors degree, a masters degree, or a PHD. From these percentages it is clear that having any form of exposer to postsecondary education reduces the like hood that you will find yourself in state prison, federal prison, or local jail. Making higher education more affordable & accessible by increasing state funding would then logically result in a reduction of overall prison population. [1]

Why compare the Department of Corrections funding to that of Universities & Community colleges? Because there is a direct correlation between the two. When our state does not fund higher education properly prison populations increase. Instead of funding the solution, this budget funds the consequence of a lack of higher education funding: incarceration.

As this info graph shows ABOR/Universities are funded at $724,818,900 & Arizona Community Colleges are funded at 56,156,100 a total of $780,975,000. FY19 funds the Department of Corrections almost 314 million more than higher education. It is also important to note that Maricopa Community College District & Pima Community College District have received zero funding since FY16. This budget is one that invests in incarceration over higher education.[2]

This is absolutely unacceptable & we are fighting to change it, but we cannot do it alone. ASA needs your help to fight for an affordable & accessible higher education for all! Sign up to volunteer today!

Sources:

[1] Harlow, Caroline Wolf. “Education and Correctional Populations.” Bureau of Justice Statistics, 15 Apr. 2003, p. 1.

[2] Governor Ducey's FY19 Budget Proposal

Department of Corrections pg. 100 Department of Education pg. 136 Community Colleges pg. 87, ABOR/Universities pg. 397