NCJ Number
248100
Date Published
July 2014
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This policy brief from The Sentencing Project examines efforts by three States to reduce their prison populations.
Abstract
Key findings from this policy brief on successful efforts by three States to reduce their prison populations include the following: between 1999 and 2012, both New York and New Jersey reduced their prison populations by 26 percent, compared to the 10-percent increase nationwide; between 2006 and 2012, California decreased its prison population by 23 percent, while nationwide the State prison population decreased by only 1 percent; during the period 1999 to 2012, both New York and New Jersey saw their violent crime rates decrease by 31 percent and 30 percent, respectively, while California saw its violent crime rate decrease 21 percent between 2006 and 2012, 2 percent more than the national average of 19 percent; and between 1999 and 2012, the property crime rate in New York and New Jersey declined more than the national average of 24 percent, 29 percent and 31 percent respectively, while California's property crime rate dropped 13 percent between 2006 and 2012, slightly less than the national average of 15 percent. This report from The Sentencing Project highlights successful efforts by three States to reduce their prison populations. The changes in these States, New York, New Jersey, and California, came about through a mixture of changes in policy and practice designed to reduce admissions to prison and lengths of stay. The analysis of these efforts also found that the three State's crime rates tended to decrease at rates faster than the national averages. These findings indicate that substantial reductions in prison populations can be achieved without adversely affecting public safety. Tables, figures