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It is a common refrain that a lack of access to education is one of the major contributing factors to incarceration in the United States. What is not as commonly discussed is the direct impact that reading and literacy skills specifically have on levels of incarceration and crime rates.
In this report, we explored the data around library funding, impacts on literacy, and the correlating affect on crime.
It's critical to understand the connection between libraries, literacy, and crime in the United States. Adults with low literacy skills are far more likely to be under- or unemployed and therefore more likely to turn to criminal activities for financial survival. Children of parents with limited literacy skills are more likely not to graduate high school and end up in the criminal justice system. Public and school libraries have long served as community anchors and centers of literacy education.
In this paper we demonstrate the impact that literacy levels have on educational achievement and crime rates. We also demonstrate how public and school libraries can positively impact reading and literacy levels and help reduce crime in their communities. Finally, we will propose policy and funding propositions that could lead to lower rates of crime and incarceration.