States Alter Their Spending Policies, Focus on Prisons
TULSA, Okla. — The 1980s produced a stark alteration of state government spending policies as appropriations for construction and maintenance of prisons grew faster than any other major program, according to a study released Monday by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The near doubling of the prison population this decade and a surge of court orders barring overcrowding forced states to boost spending for correctional facilities by 14.2% this year. That makes corrections the top state priority for the sixth year in a row.
Meanwhile, inflation-adjusted increases in welfare expenditures have dropped and education spending has remained relatively flat, said Steven Gold, the conference’s director of fiscal services, which is holding its annual meeting here.
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