Corrections Community

Hello! I am a college senior (criminal justice major) and for a seminar course I am researching ways to reduce prison costs. If anyone could give input on where to find ways that various DOCs have reduced their costs, or if anyone has personal experience with being able to reduce prison costs in various ways, I would be most appreciative!

Ideas that my group for this project has come up with include:

• using solar panels to reduce energy costs
• limiting number of items given to each inmate per year (i.e. 2 pants, 2 shirts) -- I need to find out where I could find out the costs on these
• having religious officials come in gratis to meet with inmates
• have inmates with professional backgrounds (cooks, plumbers, doctors, etc.) work in those areas, this would reduce the number of paid employees we'd need
• having a garden which inmates work at, part of the harvest goes to kitchen for inmate food, part can be sold

Any suggestions for specific money saving ideas would be great -- or recommendations for websites/publications to look at.

Thanks so much!!

Page 40 of the Indiana Department of Correction 2007 Annual Report, found at http://www.in.gov/indcorrection/pdf/annualreport/2007DOCAnRep.pdf, reports on an energy conservation and facility improvement plan. "At no additional cost to taxpayers, a service provider makes improvements to houseing units and other facility buildings.... The costs associated with these improvements are not paid by upfront tax dollars, but rather from the savings generated through reduced utility bills."

 In addition, please note the transformation of three Indiana Work Release Centers to Community Re-Entry Centers, as described in the 2007 Annual Report on pages 25 and 52. These transformations resulted in $1.9 million in savings.

Other suggestions:

Reduced flow toilets

Natural lighting (Direct Supervision)

Pricing on uniforms is normally contracted out by bid but you can look at www.bobbarker.com for ideas.

All of our programs are staffed by volunteers (Religious, ESOL, GED) 

 We work over 200 inmates a day in the facility.  The inmates prepare over 8,100 meals a day.  They also work with plumbers, electricians, low voltage repair (cameras), janitorial and in the woodworking shop.  We also provide workers for local municipalities for landscaping, etc. (the City agencies staff the supervision of the inmates)

Our State Prison System manufactures furniture and sells to other facilities...not just their own. 

Melinda

Thanks so so much!

The ideas you gave were actually similar to the ones we had - so I think we did well in terms of creativity in reducing costs.

I appreciate all the sugestions everyone has given.

Thank you again!!