ST. JOSEPH COUNTY — A shocking statistic in a recent study shows 1 in 100 Americans are in prison or jail. The study also offers possible solutions to the problem. Some people say that's a good idea, but others disagree.

Jason Pfledderer was first incarcerated when he was 17 years old. By the time he turned 19, he was a convicted felon.

"Then I did 91 days," he said. "Before I even graduated high school, I'd already been to prison."

Pfledderer spent the next 10 years of his life in and out of jail and prison. After he turned 30, a judge sentenced him to 24 years for dealing meth and possession of pipe bombs.

A recent report from The Pew Center on the States says 1 in 100 Americans are behind bars.

The report also says most states, including Indiana, are showing increased incarceration rates. However in 2007, the number of people behind bars in Michigan actually decreased.

According to the US Department of Justice:
- 1 in 30 men between the ages of 24 and 30 are behind bars
- Men are about 13 times more likely to be incarcerated
- 1 in 100 Black women in their mid-to-late 30's are in jail or prison

Read the entire report here

One solution in the study suggests states should cut spending on corrections by putting fewer low-risk offenders behind bars.

But some people disagree with that. Last year in Indiana, one of the top five expenses in the state budget was jails and prisons. However, some state lawmakers think relieving those expenses and releasing criminals back into society is dangerous.

"For the one side of the aisle that says let them go, this is not a big deal, let's put them back and rehab them back in the culture: well really?" asked Indiana District 21 State House Representative Jackie Walorski. "Where are they going to live? I don't want to live next to them, and I can tell you people in my district don't want to live next to them either."

Jason Pfledderer was recently released from prison after serving just 3 years of his sentence. He says everyone deserves a chance to change.

"If you don't change the kind of people you hang around with and change your environment, you don't stay busy," he explained. "You're just going to keep going back."