NCJ Number
108101
Date Published
1987
Length
23 pages
Annotation
Only by shortening prison terms will the prison crowding crisis be resolved.
Abstract
Research indicates that increases in the rate of imprisonment have not and will not solve the crime problem. The proportion of blacks and Hispanics admitted to prison has doubled. The exorbitant costs of imprisonment make expansion of prison capacity an unrealistic strategy for most States to reduce prison overcrowding, and increasing imprisonment costs will compromise the funding of other critical public services. The majority of persons sentenced to prison are not habitual or dangerous offenders. Most could have their prison terms reduced without endangering public safety. The major cause of prison population growth has been sentencing legislation which has dramatically increased imprisonment lengths for many offenders. Several States which have reduced prison terms have not experienced increased crime rates, and they have saved millions of dollars that would otherwise have been spent to pay for incarcerations. 9 figures, 36 references, and 35-item bibliography.