So what can we do?
One Utopian solution is simple. And education is the key.
Most marijuana possession arrests target young men of color with minimal access to education and/or professional opportunities.
Now, imagine if we invested into people instead of imprisoning them for profit.
A White House Executive Report discloses,
men of color could earn as much as $170 billion more
per year for the GDP - if the education gap in America is equalized.
Statistically, we are literally restricting black men back from creating a better country and economy for all of us.
The same executive report reveals the cost advantages of investing in education over incarceration:
- 1 year of incarceration = $100,000
- 1 year of tuition, housing, and expenses at a top university = $50,000
- 1 year of a professional mentoring program = $1,000
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