Center for Postsecondary and Economic Success (CLASP), October 2016
"With record levels of men and women incarcerated—totaling 2.2 million—the United States places more people in prison at a higher rate than any other developed nation. That total also represents 20 percent of the world’s prison population, which is disproportionately high considering that the U.S. makes up less than 5 percent of the world’s population. For low-income communities, the disparities are even more alarming. In 2014, the median annual income for people prior to incarceration was less than $20,000. Furthermore, Blacks and Latinos, who are disproportionately impacted by poverty, also have the highest rates of imprisonment and account for more than half of all prisoners. However, the context surrounding this crisis tells a much larger story, which is partly rooted in educational inequities. More than two-thirds of state prison inmates do not have a high school diploma."