Ain't Got No Money- Let the Convicts Out!

[RedGlitter]

States may free inmates to save millions

By RAY HENRY, Associated Press Writer1 hour, 32 minutes ago



Lawmakers from California to Kentucky are trying to save money with a drastic and potentially dangerous budget-cutting proposal: releasing tens of thousands of convicts from prison, including drug addicts, thieves and even violent criminals.

Officials acknowledge that the idea carries risks, but they say they have no choice because of huge budget gaps brought on by the slumping economy.

"If we don't find a way to better manage the population at the state prison, we will be forced to spend money to expand the state's prison system — money we don't have," said Jeff Neal, a spokesman for Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri.

At least eight states are considering freeing inmates or sending some convicts to rehabilitation programs instead of prison, according to an Associated Press analysis of legislative proposals. If adopted, the early release programs could save an estimated $450 million in California and Kentucky alone.

A Rhode Island proposal would allow inmates to deduct up to 12 days from their sentence for every month they follow rules and work in prison. Even some violent offenders would be eligible but not those serving life sentences.

A plan in Mississippi would offer early parole for people convicted of selling marijuana or prescription drugs. New Jersey, South Carolina and Vermont are considering funneling drug-addicted offenders into treatment, which is cheaper than prison.

The prospect of financial savings offers little comfort to Tori-Lynn Heaton, a police officer in a suburb of Providence whose ex-husband went to prison for beating her. He has already finished his prison term, but would have been eligible for early release under the current proposal.

"You're talking about victim safety. You're talking about community member safety," she said. "You can't balance the budget on the backs of victims of crimes."

But prisons "are one of the most expensive parts of the criminal-justice system," said Alison Lawrence, who studies corrections policy for the National Conference of State Legislatures. "That's where they look to first to cut down some of those costs."

Rhode Island Corrections Director A.T. Wall was not sure how many prisoners could be freed early. The payoff for doing so may be relatively small: less than $1 million for the first fiscal year, although that figure would increase over time.

In California, where lawmakers have taken steps to cut a $16 billion budget deficit in half by summer, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed saving $400 million by releasing more than 22,000 inmates who had less than 20 months remaining on their sentences. Violent and sex offenders would not be eligible.

Laying off prison guards and making it more difficult to send parole violators back to state prison would account for part of the savings.

Law enforcement officials and Republican lawmakers immediately criticized Schwarzenegger's proposal, which would apply to car thieves, forgers, drunken drivers and some drug dealers. Some would never serve prison time because the standard sentence for those crimes is 20 months or less.

"To open the prison door and release prisoners back into communities is merely placing a state burden onto local governments and will ultimately jeopardize safety in communities," said Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer, who could see 1,800 inmates released in his area.

In Kentucky, which faces a $1.3 billion deficit, lawmakers approved legislation Wednesday to grant early release to some prisoners. Initial estimates were that the plan could affect as many as 2,000 inmates and save nearly $50 million.

If the governor signs the bill, the exact number of prisoners would be determined by prison officials. Violent convicts and sexual offenders would be exempt.

Gov. Steve Beshear has said Kentucky must review its policies after the state's inmate population jumped 12 percent last year — the largest increase in the nation.

Kentucky spends more than $18,600 to house one inmate for a year, or roughly $51 a day. In California, each inmate costs an average of $46,104 to incarcerate.

The prison budget in Mississippi has nearly tripled since stricter sentencing laws took effect in 1994.

To curb spending, lawmakers have offered a bill to make about 7,000 drug offenders in prison eligible for parole. A second proposal would allow the parole board to release inmates convicted of selling marijuana and prescription drugs after serving just a quarter of their sentences. Currently, they must serve 85 percent of their terms before release.

Michigan is trying to speed up the parole process for about 3,500 inmates who were convicted of nonviolent, nonsexual offenses, or who are seriously ill.

Barbara Sampson, chairwoman of the Michigan Parole Board, said early release often makes sense, especially for low-risk offenders who get help rebuilding their lives.

"Getting that prisoner back to the community so that he can stay connected to his family, getting him back into the work force ... that's a positive thing," she said.

But not everyone is sold on the idea.

"Economics cannot be the engine that drives the train of public safety," said Terrence Jungel, executive director of the Michigan Sheriffs' Association. "Government has no greater responsibility than the protection of its citizens."

____

[koan]

BC closed down mental hospital beds and swapped medical care for prison costs. I don't see the wisdom in that either.

Prisons are broom closets. Society shoves people away like broken items instead of fixing them then can't figure out what to do when the broom closet is too full. First problem, the closet is full. Second problem, the items are still broken.

I don't see the point of blaming the three legged chair for being in my broom closet.

[koan]

moonpie;825837 wrote: Koan, you seem like you love liberation, even for the ones that break the law. Why would you really care how big their rooms are, when people who are working their asses off and trying to live without breaking the law, live in rooms that are not much bigger than that? Why would you care that law breakers have nice big rooms.? I have a problem with the fact that most people do not have housing and most indigents just live on the streets. I have a problem with not enough housing for all of these poor people. Certainly not law breakers. Why would you care that someone who ripped you off, or killed someone you loved not have enough room in their FU----- sorry life to move around?


I think you took the broom closet analogy too literally. Read it like an analogy, that's what it is.

As to the second part, the lack of proper, affordable housing creates criminals... so... yep. I care.

[koan]

moonpie;825843 wrote: Some of the most recent crimes in Vcr have been created by people who seem to have a little bit of money to buy their type of weapon to make the crime. I don't belive that indigents have the money to buy pepper spray, or even the creativity to think about stealing post man's keys to steal identity info. This is more, I believe organized crime and not your run of the mill, on the street people who did this. Vcr is geting to be a more serious city with crime that it used to be.


I'm having trouble making any sense of what you just said.



I agree, lets stay on topic... I still present my first post in this thread as being on topic. I still present the broom closet as an on topic analogy. Analogy: an inference that if things agree in some respects they probably agree in others

I apologise if I sound patronizing but you have me thoroughly confused.

[koan]

In December [presumably 2006], the United Nations voted on a resolution to abolish life imprisonment without parole for children and young teenagers. The United States was the lone dissenter in a vote of 185 to 1.

source

I think the US could start by letting the children go.

[Patsy Warnick]

I'm actually sliding towards Koan's broom closet.

There's so many locked up due to mental health issues due to lack a facilities available.

There's so many locked up with a lengthly sentenced with lack of severity of crime.

Allowing convicts out due to cost to house them isn't anything new - this has happened in the past.

Patsy