The current economic slump could cause your small town to lead you or a loved one behind bars.

On the cusp of a financial downturn, the prison system may change at an even more drastic and alarming rate than before as small, rural towns search for a measure of economic safety.

A great number of small towns, and a greater number of rural towns, have previously used prisons as an economic development tool for their area. As the economy declines, these towns look for an outlet to restructure their economy around, and as a result, many tend to fall back on the idea of building a prison. By constructing a prison on their ground, they hope to create economic growth within their area.

The issue arises when hundreds of small, rural towns look toward the same escape of prison building during a decline in the overall economy of the country, much like right now. Why is this an issue? The economy then relies on crime rates that will allow the prisons to be filled. Without prisoners the prisons are useless; therefore, thousands of empty prison cells must be filled.

With the current controversial and changing laws on marijuana and other drug-use these smaller, previously non-prison worthy crimes may now lead to imprisonment for the sole purpose that someone must occupy the cells to allow them to be profitable to the economy.

What does this mean for the near future of rural areas with a heavy drug problem such as Appalachia? The people of these areas may be at risk of incarceration over these small drug charges simply to meet quotas if their towns look to prison building as a financial growth industry.