Everyone knows that inmates cost taxpayers and are beneficiaries of free services - housing, food, healthcare, recreational activities, etc. But how much do we really spend on things like healthcare for the people that destroy society and infringe on other’s rights?

Well, a Michigan state board is set to award a 3-year service contract for $326 million to Prison Health Services, Inc. of TN. With roughly 50,000 inmates, the cost per inmate per year is $2,173.

According to the BLS 2006 Consumer Expenditure Report, individuals spent on average $1,827 in 2006.

Not only does the taxpayer have high personal healthcare costs, but they must bear the burden for the even more expensive health services for criminals!

And nationwide, drug offenses comprised of 19.5% of sentenced prisoners under state jurisdiction.

So we outlaw drugs that we deem harmful to people and then when we catch them we pay for their healthcare!

What is also interesting is what happens to seized drug money.

In some states, the police will bring in the federal law enforcement agencies to evade state laws in order to retain seized drug money. Police cough up the dollars to a federal fund which takes 20% or more and then kicks back the rest to the police department that seized it. (source) Under Texas and Georgia forfeiture law, the state departments get to keep seized money (source). A sheriff in Georgia used seized drug money to buy a $90,000 sports car to advertise an anti-drug program and another bought a margarita machine which won them 1st place for best margarita at the local fair! I’ll take one on the rocks please!

The drug war has failed miserably. We have seen no ROI and it is a lost cause.

More importantly, it is not the role of government to tell people what they can and can’t do with their own bodies.

Furthermore, the state law enforcement agencies do not give two shits about small time drug offenders anyway. If it isn’t a big bust, the arresting officer won’t show up at court and the small timer’s case will be thrown out. Of course, the taxpayer already paid for the cops’ and the court’s time and bureaucratic bullshit.

It’s simply a money game which facilitates underground economies and more crime.