Research has shown that there is an undeniable correlation between incarcerated people and illiteracy. Currently, as a nation, “50% of adults cannot read a book written at an eighth grade level. Additionally, 45 million people are functionally illiterate and read below a 5th grade level” (“Literacy Project”). Being undereducated greatly affects a person's ability to obtain successful employment and earn a living wage. I was shocked when my college professor told me that the company uses third graders' test scores to determine approximately how many prisons the United States will need in the future. In some ways, society is already planning to abandon American children, even more so minorities, at such an early age. It makes me wonder why the government would invest funds in the criminal justice system rather than putting them to better use in the education system to avoid the need for another prison in America. Look at the problems a student faces when they are undereducated and unable to read at the level they should be reading. This causes them to fall behind in their classes, has a bad influence on their grades, and can prevent the student from progressing to the next level. According to a recent study, “85% of young delinquents have reading problems” (“Literacy Project”). Eventually, the students give up and