"But it’s not funny that some of our most powerful state leaders support spending on incarceration over education and social support. It is appalling that the public’s interests are ignored in favor of the prison-industrial complex and its lobbyists."

What's appalling is that you think the general public wants to be at risk for future and repeated victimization on the off chance someone "might" get better.  We pay more for auto insurance "protection" than what my share of the prison costs are.  I don't care if they get better - what is guaranteed is that they will do NO further damage the entire time they are incarcerated.  Works for me.