Idaho Wastes $$$ Jailing Minor Felons

Nonviolent criminals are being kept behind bars in Idaho twice as long as they are in the rest of the nation. That’s among the major findings of a nine-month study into how Idaho could spend its money better and get better outcomes from its criminal justice system. Researchers for the Council of State Governments and the Pew Charitable Trusts found that the state has one of the nation’s highest and fastest-growing incarceration rates, despite its low rates of crime. Idaho House Judiciary Chairman Rich Wills, R-Glenns Ferry, a retired state trooper, called the data a “wake-up call”/ Betsy Russell , Eye on Boise. More here.

Question: Why does Idaho spend so much money jailing nonviolent offenders while they low-ball the public education budget?