The Toughest Beat compiled a list of what every state correctional agency pays per prisoner on average. Also listed are current recidivism rates for state prisoners.
| State Corrections Agency | Cost Per Prisoner | Recidivism Rate |
| Alabama Department of Corrections | $33,000 | 31.5% |
| Alaska Department of Corrections | $93,000 | 63.2% |
| Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation & Reentry | $41,000 | 39.8% |
| Arkansas Department of Corrections | $23,000 | 57.0% |
| California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation | $128,000 | 41.9% |
| Colorado Department of Corrections | $76,000 | 50.0% |
| Connecticut Department of Correction | $103,000 | 37.0% |
| Delaware Department of Correction | $91,000 | 64.5% |
| Florida Department of Corrections | $42,000 | 24.5% |
| Georgia Department of Corrections | $30,000 | 27.0% |
| Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation | $62,000 | 54.6% |
| Idaho Department of Correction | $42,000 | 31.0% |
| Illinois Department of Corrections | $68,000 | 39.9% |
| Indiana Department of Correction | $33,000 | 34.0% |
| Iowa Department of Corrections | $42,000 | 34.2% |
| Kansas Department of Corrections | $49,000 | 36.0% |
| Kentucky Department of Corrections | $36,000 | 46.4% |
| Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections | $25,000 | 32.0% |
| Maine Department of Corrections | $117,000 | 31.0% |
| Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services | $114,000 | 40.5% |
| Massachusetts Department of Correction | $307,000 | 32.0% |
| Michigan Department of Corrections | $65,000 | 28.0% |
| Minnesota Department of Corrections | $80,000 | 25.0% |
| Mississippi Department of Corrections | $24,000 | 33.0% |
| Missouri Department of Corrections | $32,000 | 43.0% |
| Montana Department of Corrections | $64,000 | 42.2% |
| Nebraska Department of Correctional Services | $88,000 | 25.5% |
| Nevada Department of Corrections | $40,000 | 28.6% |
| New Hampshire Department of Corrections | $74,000 | 45.0% |
| New Jersey Department of Corrections | $133,000 | 30.0% |
| New Mexico Corrections Department | $113,000 | 49.1% |
| New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision | $116,000 | 43.0% |
| North Carolina Department of Adult Correction | $63,000 | 35.8% |
| North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation | $84,000 | 46.0% |
| Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction | $44,000 | 30.7% |
| Oklahoma Department of Corrections | $32,000 | 25.0% |
| Oregon Department of Corrections | $79,000 | 51.0% |
| Pennsylvania Department of Corrections | $67,000 | 46.0% |
| Rhode Island Department of Corrections | $117,000 | 50.0% |
| South Carolina Department of Corrections | $38,000 | 19.0% |
| South Dakota Department of Corrections | $49,000 | 40.0% |
| Tennessee Department of Correction | $39,000 | 29.6% |
| Texas Department of Criminal Justice | $31,000 | 21.4% |
| Utah Department of Corrections | $73,000 | 46.0% |
| Vermont Department of Corrections | $134,000 | 45.0% |
| Virginia Department of Corrections | $61,000 | 23.4% |
| Washington State Department of Corrections | $108,000 | 32.0% |
| West Virginia Division of Corrections & Rehabilitation | $82,000 | 24.0% |
| Wisconsin Department of Corrections | $64,000 | 35.3% |
| Wyoming Department of Corrections | $75,000 | 28.0% |
| Bureau of Prisons | $43,000 | 45.0% |
We found the following three states spend the most per prisoner: Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Jersey. (And, no, the $307,000 cost for Massachusetts is not a typo, that came from a state report.)
We found the following three states have the worst recidivism rates: Delaware, Alaska, and Arkansas.
You may also be interested in the monthly pay for correctional officers for all 50 states.
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