Corrections Community

More good reasons to get serious about systematically reducing the US corrections population. –Please see the recent Washington Post article "Budget woes prompt states to rethink policy"

http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2009/01/10/2296347-budget-woes-prompt-states-to-rethink-prison-policy

There is the humanitarian question: morally, are we justified in incarcerating people at a higher rate than any other country in the world? 

There is the efficacy question: how do high rates of incarceration effect public safety (see the Washington Public Policy Institute work on this question) and the separate but somewhat related question: what is the effect of incarceration on risk and protective factors of inmates?

And finally there is the economic question:  how can we afford to continue supporting high rates of incarceration?

What do you feel about these questions?  Are they relevant to your work and if so how? 

This topic seems to be getting more attention as the recession continues and Corrections takes a serious look at maximizing effectiveness while reducing costs.  The recent PEW Charitable Trusts report (03/02/2009 - One in 31: The Long Reach of American Corrections), presents another look at the 'scale and cost of prison, jail, probation and parole in each of the 50 states'.  In addition, there is an alaysis of the cost of sentencing and corrections policies.   This article also presents suggestions and strategies for helping states develop plans for building up their community corrections systems, to both increase public safety through reducing crime and saving dollars. 

Does this idea of reducing crime and reallocating money make sense to you?  What challenges do you see with it?  

 and

How is your state or jurisdiction dealing with the challenge of continuing to maintain effective operations with fewer funds? What strategies are you adopting in your state/jurisdiction?