Alleviating Our Prison Crisis: National Policy Changes Are Needed (From State of Corrections: Proceedings of ACA Annual Conferences, 1989, P 107-108, 1990, Ann Dargis, ed. -- See NCJ-122583)

• NCJ Number: 122600
• Author(s): K L Schmoke
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 2 pages
• Sale Source: American Correctional Association
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Prison and jail crowding is a national problem that affects all levels of government and both political parties, but government officials should avoid making it a political issue.

Abstract

Short-term initiatives to relieve crowding in Baltimore include work release programs and the use of a revolving bail fund for offenders who are not deemed dangerous. National policy changes needed to address the problem include a change from the law enforcement approach to a public health approach to address the problem of drug abuse. The surgeon general and not the attorney general should be in charge of the war on drugs and should set up a procedure for pulling drug abusers into the public health system instead of discouraging them from seeking treatment by threats of prosecution. Finally, correctional professionals, not the courts, should ultimately control the management of prison populations and the decisionmaking regarding correctional practices.