Yeah, scary statistic, isn't it? Here is a related post on another site explaining how legalizing marijuana would help the employment-population ratio
A new New Deal would help us all so much. If we could give people jobs to clean up their neighborhoods, fix or maintain city streets and parks, or deconstruct abandoned houses, the effect would be dramatic. Firstly, people would be employed, which all the evidence shows keeps people out of trouble. Second, we could reduce direct welfare payments, which I'm sure all politicians would agree is a good thing. And third, it would make decaying cities much more desirable places to live, which would become self-reinforcing. Imagine having a team of people whose job it was to build gardens in vacant lots. I think it would be wonderful.