Average Quote by Marian Wright Edelman
“We're spending, on average, three times more for prison than for public-school pupils. That's the dumbest investment policy. It doesn't make us safer.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public Policy Forum, 2015
Investing far more in prisons than schools fails to improve safety and wastes resources.
In simple terms: Spending on prisons outweighs school funding, harming safety.
Key Takeaway
Redirect funds to education for safer communities.
Themes
education
public policy
justice
budgeting
Mood
concerned
critical
Type
policy
advocacy
When to use this quote
- school funding
- prison reform
- community safety
- tax allocation
Key Concepts
cost‑benefit analysis
social equity
Questions to Reflect On
- How could rebalancing budgets affect crime rates?
- What barriers prevent shifting funds to schools?
A Different Perspective
Higher prison spending may reflect political pressures, not evidence.
