MYTH: “PRISONS ARE COST-EFFECTIVE” In 2017, the New Zealand government has budge
MYTH: “PRISONS ARE COST-EFFECTIVE” In 2017, the New Zealand government has budgeted $1 billion for the running of prisons, as well an additional $1 billion for prison construction and expansion over the next few years. What could this money do for impoverished communities across Aotearoa? For the 23,000 children with a parent in prison? For education? For housing? While the government eagerly increases its spending every year on an unjustifiably cruel system, it ignores the widespread poverty in New Zealand that drives people into criminalised activity. The prison population could be drastically reduced by dealing with fundamental problems in society, such as inequality and racism. Instead of using its resources to attack poverty, homelessness, drug abuse, and mental illness, the New Zealand government chooses to hide these issues with a $1 billion band-aid. Prisons fail to provide a real solution to our social problems – they address misery and hardship by creating even more misery and hardship. http://ift.tt/2jHQODk -- source link
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