INCARCERATION RATES IN THE UNITED STATES

Schools and prisons compete for the same limited tax dollars. Almost always
when a state ranks high in prison spending, that state will rank low in
school spending ("State prison proposal draws some opposition," May 30).

Louisiana spends more per capita on prisons than any other state and less
than any other state on education.

On the other hand, Minnesota spends the least per capita on prisons and the
most per capita on education.

Investment in education is an investment in the future. Money spent on
prisons is gone forever - a complete waste.

The United States is the most incarcerated nation on the planet and in
history. With less than 5 percent of the world's population, the United
States has greater than 25 percent of the world's prisoners. In other
words, one out of every four prisoners in the world sits in a U.S. jail or
prison.

This fact should create our outrage - certainly not our pride.

Kirk Muse, Mesa, Ariz.