Billions in Covid Relief Money Spent on Law Enforcement as US Incarceration Rate Remains High

Strategic Insights -

Local and state governments have pumped billions of dollars in Covid relief money into strengthening law enforcement, with over $52.6 billion spent on projects involving police or the carceral system. Despite this, the US still leads the world in incarceration rates, with many arguing that investments in police do not correlate with increased public safety but rather with the criminalization of BIPOC communities. Meanwhile, community violence intervention programs, some of which offer alternatives to policing, have received far less funding.

Key Takeaways:

  • The American Rescue Plan Act provided $350 billion to local and state governments for Covid recovery, with $101 billion spent so far.
  • $52.6 billion of the spent amount went to revenue replacement, with over half allocated to projects involving police or the carceral system.
  • The investments in police include purchasing new equipment, increasing staffing levels, and procuring surveillance technology like ShotSpotter.
  • President Joe Biden has promised to increase police funding, stating that the American Rescue Plan allowed cities, states, and counties to "hire more police, invest in more proven strategies like community violence interruption."
  • Activists argue that investments in police do not correlate with increased public safety, citing the high incarceration rate in the US and the disproportionate impact on BIPOC communities.
  • Community violence intervention programs, which offer alternatives to policing, have received far less funding compared to traditional law enforcement systems.
  • Many states and cities are still weighing how to spend the remainder of the relief funds.

Statistics:

  • $101 billion: Total amount spent by local and state governments from the relief money so far.
  • $52.6 billion: Amount allocated to revenue replacement, with over half spent on police or carceral system projects.
  • 50%: Proportion of the $52.6 billion revenue replacement allocation spent on police or cartridges system projects.
  • 350 billion: Total amount provided to local and state governments for Covid recovery through the American Rescue Plan Act.
  • 40 years: Length of time since the largest injection of cash into state and local governments.
  • 55%: Proportion of BIPOC communities incarcerated in the US.

Sources:

  • The Marshall Project study
  • The American Rescue Plan Act
  • US government data on incarceration rates
  • President Joe Biden's State of the Union address