Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

The effect of Incarceration on Poverty

This paper is looking at how incarceration impact poverty levels for both children and adults. Studies show that incarceration increases poverty rates and makes it harder for adults who have been incarcerated to find a job. Studies also show that incarceration rates also increase poverty among children because they have less parents to take care of them. This also turns into a cycle because when incarcerated adults are freed, they have a harder time finding a job which leads them to commit crimes to make ends meet which lands them back in jail. There are solutions there are incentive programs for companies who hire felons; however not everyone who is incarcerated committed a felony. Areas with higher incarceration rates also have higher poverty rates. Incarceration is keeping people in poverty.