Pew Center on the States

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On Voter Rolls: 1.8M Dead People

One in 8 voter records are flawed, Pew estimates

(Newser) - The Walking Dead is more than a hit TV show, it might just be a successful get-out-the-vote strategy. Thanks to 24 million out-of-date and inaccurate voter registration records, the United States has up to 1.8 million dead people registered to vote, reports USA Today . "We have a ramshackle...

State Pension Funds Come Up $1.26T Short

Market losses, aging population leave funds in dire straits

(Newser) - States' pension and health care funds had a disastrous year in 2009, saving a whopping $1.26 trillion less than they’ll need to pay the retirement benefits they’ve promised to their workers, according to a new study from the Pew Center on the States. Part of the problem...

1 in 100 Americans in Prison
1 in 100 Americans in Prison

1 in 100 Americans in Prison

'Tough on crime' proving expensive stance as state resources dwindle, study reports

(Newser) - One American adult out of 100 is incarcerated, a new study shows—the first time in US history such a high proportion of the population is behind bars. The Pew Center on the States reports the nationwide prison population grew by 25,000 last year, to 1.6 million, with...

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