Michael Mueller-Smith says that any social benefit received from taking criminals out of the general population is offset by the increase in crime resulting from turning small offenders into career criminals. He says that prison does this by reducing ex-cons’ access to jobs and housing; by reducing their odds of marriage and family formation; and by exposing them to criminal skills and networks. Incarceration also increases take-up of government aid – another social cost.

More about Mueller-Smith finds incarceration increases the likelihood of committing more, and more serious, crimes >