Thinking About Corrections : Legislation

Getting Cell Phones Out of Cells

CC Pro — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:53:00 GMT

Read about the efforts of corrections departments and legislatures to stem the tide of contraband cell phones in institutions. While these mobile devices have been used by inmates to stay in touch with family and friends, they have also been employed to facilitate escapes, continue ongoing criminal enterprises, and to retaliate against other inmates. Legislatures are also stiffening penalties for corrections personnel who assist inmates in securing the banned mobile phones.

State Sentencing and Corrections Legislation

CC Pro — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:17:00 GMT

The National Conference of State Legislatures has published a report that examines state legislative actions during 2007, the elements that drove these actions, and the potential impact of sentencing and corrections in the near term. Principal legislative concerns were/are burgeoning prison populations and the accompanying budget growth. Measures passed to address prison construction and operating costs, reducing recidivism, and increasing the efficacy of correctional systems without compromising public safety include:

Expanding community corrections;
Managing probation and parole violators;
Boosting incentives for good behavior;
Preparing inmates for reentry; and
Linking released offenders to community support.

How Are the States Coping?

Eileen Conway — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:37:00 GMT

In an era of budget shortages and policy reconsiderations, the Sentencing Project has produced a summary document of state criminal justice policy reforms and legislation, The State of Sentencing 2007: Developments in Policy and Practice. Stateline.org has further summarized the findings in a Top Story today.