Wisconsin v. Minnesota
Given the many demographic and cultural similarities between these midwestern neighbors, I’ve long been intrigued by how dramatically different the incarceration rates are in Wisconsin and Minnesota. How is it that Wisconsin’s per capita incarceration is twice Minnesota’s? My diligent research assistant Joe Gorndt has gathered some data to try to shed light on this problem. First, here is the basic demographic data:
Minnesota | Wisconsin | |
Population (2009) | 5.3 mm | 5.7 mm |
Age under 18 | 24.3% | 23.6% |
Age over 65 | 12.4% | 13.2% |
Over 25, HS diploma | 91.1% | 89.0% |
Bachelor degree | 31.2% | 25.5% |
Below poverty line | 10.0% | 11.1% |
Foreign born | 5.3% | 3.6% |
Unemployment | 5.8% | 6.1% |
Not much to distinguish the states here. The most notable difference seems to be the higher percentage of adults with college degrees in Minnesota, but this is hardly a dramatic difference and doesn’t seem likely to explain the imprisonment disparity.
Now take a look at the crime and criminal-justice statistics, courtesy of the National Institute of Corrections.