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In an earlier thread started 2-28-08, we discussed what the likely impact of the coming financial and economic crisis would be on U.S. prison population.
In early 2008, Pew Center (think tank) issued report suggesting U.S. should look at alternatives to current incarceration policies and gave some statistics. 2,319,258 (1 in 99) of U.S. adult population is in prison or jail. On a per capita basis, U.S. imprisons more people than any other country (750 per 100,000) and on a pure numbers basis, U.S. is also the leader - next is far more populous China with 1,500,000 in prison/jail.
Well, we now have a real-world answer and it's playing out as expected.
(Note: my personal opinion is that we need to provide treatment alternatives for non-violent drug users and not criminalize them, for starters. Then move on to a focus on rehabilitation, while people are in prison, since most will re-join society at some point, and states will have less money in the future to sustain these huge prison populations).
From MSNBC:
"Budget woes prompt officials to consider changes in corrections policies
NEW YORK - Their budgets in crisis, governors, legislators and prison officials across the nation are making or considering policy changes that will likely remove tens of thousands of offenders from prisons and parole supervision.Collectively, the pending and proposed initiatives could add up to one of biggest shifts ever in corrections policy, putting into place cost-saving reforms that have struggled to win political support in the tough-on-crime climate of recent decades.
'Prior to this fiscal crisis, legislators could tinker around the edges — but we're now well past the tinkering stage,' said Marc Mauer, executive director of the Sentencing Project, which advocates alternatives to incarceration.
'Many political leaders who weren't comfortable enough, politically, to do it before can now — under the guise of fiscal responsibility — implement programs and policies that would be win/win situations, saving money and improving corrections,' Mauer said.
In California, faced with a projected $42 billion deficit and prison overcrowding that has triggered a federal lawsuit, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to eliminate parole for all offenders not convicted of violent or sex-related crimes, reducing the parole population by about 70,000. He also wants to divert more petty criminals to county jails and grant early release to more inmates — steps that could trim the prison population by 15,000 over the next 18 months...
New York Gov. David Paterson wants early release for 1,600 inmates as well as an overhaul of the so-called Rockefeller Drug Laws that impose lengthy mandatory sentences on many nonviolent drug offenders...."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28592088
Original discussion thread:
http://www.itulip.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3358
In early 2008, Pew Center (think tank) issued report suggesting U.S. should look at alternatives to current incarceration policies and gave some statistics. 2,319,258 (1 in 99) of U.S. adult population is in prison or jail. On a per capita basis, U.S. imprisons more people than any other country (750 per 100,000) and on a pure numbers basis, U.S. is also the leader - next is far more populous China with 1,500,000 in prison/jail.
Well, we now have a real-world answer and it's playing out as expected.
(Note: my personal opinion is that we need to provide treatment alternatives for non-violent drug users and not criminalize them, for starters. Then move on to a focus on rehabilitation, while people are in prison, since most will re-join society at some point, and states will have less money in the future to sustain these huge prison populations).
From MSNBC:
"Budget woes prompt officials to consider changes in corrections policies
NEW YORK - Their budgets in crisis, governors, legislators and prison officials across the nation are making or considering policy changes that will likely remove tens of thousands of offenders from prisons and parole supervision.Collectively, the pending and proposed initiatives could add up to one of biggest shifts ever in corrections policy, putting into place cost-saving reforms that have struggled to win political support in the tough-on-crime climate of recent decades.
'Prior to this fiscal crisis, legislators could tinker around the edges — but we're now well past the tinkering stage,' said Marc Mauer, executive director of the Sentencing Project, which advocates alternatives to incarceration.
'Many political leaders who weren't comfortable enough, politically, to do it before can now — under the guise of fiscal responsibility — implement programs and policies that would be win/win situations, saving money and improving corrections,' Mauer said.
In California, faced with a projected $42 billion deficit and prison overcrowding that has triggered a federal lawsuit, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to eliminate parole for all offenders not convicted of violent or sex-related crimes, reducing the parole population by about 70,000. He also wants to divert more petty criminals to county jails and grant early release to more inmates — steps that could trim the prison population by 15,000 over the next 18 months...
New York Gov. David Paterson wants early release for 1,600 inmates as well as an overhaul of the so-called Rockefeller Drug Laws that impose lengthy mandatory sentences on many nonviolent drug offenders...."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28592088
Original discussion thread:
http://www.itulip.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3358
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