Crime Really Doesn't Pay For Millions Of Americans

The Brennan Center for Justice has released a new report showing that prison sentences and convictions are costing Americans hundreds of billions of dollars in lost earnings. Around 7.7 million people in the U.S. have served time behind bars at some point and the research found that people previously incarcerated see their annual lifetime earnings fall by 52 percent. Those who have committed felonies and misdemeanors without going to prison also face substantial financial losses with earnings falling 22 and 16 percent, respectively. As the following infographic shows, the total aggregate amount lost across all three categories adds up to a whopping $372.3 billion.