[quote=EconProf]As zk’s link showed, CA prisoners cost the state $51,000 per year. I’ve read that Texas spends $25,000 per year, Montana $15,000. Perhaps we could outsource more prisoners to these states (we already do that a little), and benefit both CA taxpayers and let these more efficient states run a little profit.[/quote]
The cost of prisoners is an outrage. The heart of the matter is seriously overpaid prison guards, much better paid than teachers, (the average compensation on the order of $100,000) and way too many of them (something like one guard per 4 prisoners. Many other states have half that number.)
Unfortunately, if we closed all prisons and outsourced all prisoners to Montana, that would only close less than a third of the budget deficit.
