The Poor Get Prison: The Alarming Spread of the Criminalization of Poverty

Poor people, especially people of color, face a far greater risk of being fined, arrested, and even incarcerated for minor offenses than other Americans. A broken taillight, an unpaid parking ticket, a minor drug offense, sitting on a sidewalk, or sleeping in a park can all result in jail time. In this report, the authors seek to understand the multi-faceted, growing phenomenon of the “criminalization of poverty." The authors then summarize these realities, filling out the true breadth and depth of this national crisis.