News on the Prison Reform Front

Another week and the papers report more studies concluding incarcerating nonviolent felons is a waste of taxpayer dollars and more states are moving forward with prison reform.  And Virginia?  The Governor decided to go to China for some authentic take out.
Several dozen criminal justice organizations, led by the “Sentencing Project” (and including the National Council of Churches of Christ, the Progressive National Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church) have petitioned Congress to change Federal sentencing policies.  In an open letter to the chairs and ranking members of the Budget, Appropriations and Judiciary committees, they stated the following:

“In this time of economic crisis, our government wastes precious dollars when it incarcerates non-violent offenders whose actions would be better addressed through alternatives that hold them accountable at less cost to taxpayers.  Being sentenced to prison should be the option of last resort.”
Brilliant!  I wish Governor Bob saw that report.  Unfortunately, he was busy choosing between Moo Shoo Pork and Chicken Lo Mein. 

Two criminologists recently released studies concluding spending to incarcerate doesn’t lower crime; depending on police in communities does.  Both Lawrence Sherman of the University of Maryland and Daniel Nagin of Carnegie Melon University reported their findings at a crime prevention symposium in Washington, DC.
Both argued for less incarceration and more contact between the police, the released offenders and the community.

As Daniel Nagin explained “studies have shown that the marginal deterrent effect of increasing already lengthy sentences is modest at best.”
Yes Governor, you can have more rice and tea if you just listen for a minute!

Kentucky’s recently signed prison reform legislation made the news.  According to the Pew Center, Kentucky’s legislation is “at the forefront of research driven criminal justice policies.”  Nonviolent offenders will utilize alternative sentencing rather than take up prison bed space.  The reform package is expected to save Kentucky over $420 million dollars during the next ten years.
$420 million, that will buy a lot of egg rolls Governor!

The Wall Street Journal recently reported on studies suggesting that states need to increase spending on college programs in prison and “expand internet-based delivery” of those educational opportunities.

It is one of the ironies of prison life that they tell inmates “we want to prepare you for your return to society”, then completely isolate us from normal life activities.  Almost every job today requires some basic skill level with technology, yet inmates are prohibited from any access to computers (other than those of us who work on academic programs).  Even our IT students can’t get hands on experience working on boxes.  The instructor wants to let them break units apart.  He has a storage building full of them.  But, DOC security rules prohibit inmate access to the equipment.

The study concludes with a “no brainer” – inmate college education is the single most important determiner in reducing recidivism rates.  An inmate who earns a college diploma in prison will almost never recommit.
Perhaps Governor McDonnell would pay more attention to that message if it was on a fortune cookie.

Another week gone by and more evidence presented that Virginia’s corrections policies need reform.  The billion dollar question is when will the Governor put down the chopsticks and move Virginia in the right direction?