In 2007, around $74 billion was spent on corrections. Basically more billions are spent on prisons than in education.
Housing the approximately 500,000 people in jail in the USA awaiting trial who cannot afford bail costs $9 billion a year. (data from 2007)
There can be another procedures to charge law offenders. We suggest the government do a statistical study on a given quantity of prisoners. The idea is to set free non violent criminals but force them to pay a sum of money and time, Install special facilities with productive jobs for the nation that ex prisoners can do additional work repaying for what they did wrong. These jobs could be some of the ones that the majority don't want to do. At the same time they can be payed with food credits so they can support their families.