John,

On average, states spend three times as much for each prisoner in the criminal justice system as they do for each public school student. Too many of these prisoners are children—disproportionately children of color—who are being funneled into the criminal justice system at increasingly younger ages. 

We spend more on our prisons than we do on our schools.

Don’t believe it? Learn more here.

Is this who we are? Is this the America we want for our kids?

We should be investing in our children. But instead America funnels money into a broken criminal justice system while programs that provide children with stable homes, nutritious food, affordable health care, and quality education sit on the chopping block.

For more than four decades, the Children’s Defense Fund has fought to make the well-being of all children a national priority. In the America that we are working towards, we invest in our future by investing in our children.

In solidarity,

Kathleen King

Interim Policy Director

Children’s Defense Fund

P.S. We are fighting for a country where all children grow up at home in happy, stable homes, and receive a quality education in safe, supportive schools. If that is what you want for your children—and for all children—make a gift today.

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