This program saves taxpayers money by reducing the cost of incarcerating citizens. This is done by providing needed training, support, and guidance to marginalized persons which allows them to break cycles of poverty, crime, and incarceration. Current systems of justice and incarceration, that neglect to prepare citizens with the tools to elevate themselves to better stations in life, simply perpetuate cyclical conditions which cause taxpayers to repeatedly cover the cost of crime, homelessness, unemployment, and persons returning to incarceration where they require housing, food, and supervision. These incarceration costs are repetitive and do not assist the citizen’s efforts to change the behaviors that cause them to be incarcerated. While incarcerated these individuals are not contributing gainfully to society.

With Highway to Tech taxpayer funds are used to help citizens address family, behavioral, societal, and vocational issues that lead to detrimental behaviors that result in broken families, homelessness, unemployment, and incarceration. Participants are equipped with the tools to overcome injustice, inequality, and the residual effects to become contributing members of society.

While the cost of incarceration can be upwards of $35,000 per person per year, there is no return on investment. However, the taxpayer funds that are invested in Highway to Tech reduce recidivism rates and result in a community member who becomes gainfully employed and is able to contribute to society as a tax paying citizen. By investing in the Highway to Tech program funds are also utilized to reduce incidents of crime and violence in the community. This is done by providing young adults with conviction histories, access to careers in the tech industry. These thriving wage careers are a deterrent to detrimental behaviors and criminal activities by providing Highway to Tech participants with the social, economic, and behavioral motivation and support that enable them to embark upon a more constructive and positive life trajectory.