> States consider releasing inmates early
> Budget crunch may lead lawmakers to free prisoners early
> Associated Press
> Friday, April 4, 2008
>
> PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- 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 *** 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 ***ual 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, non***ual offenses, or who are
seriously
> ill.
>
>
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