SEARCH FOR ECONOMIC REALITIES (FROM AMERICAN CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION - PROCEEDINGS OF THE 106TH ANNUAL CONGRESS OF CORRECTIONS, 1976 - SEE NCJ-49145)

• NCJ Number: 49154
• Author(s): B L WAYSON
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: American Correctional Association
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

THE ECONOMICS OF CORRECTIONS IS DISCUSSED, WITH REFERENCE TO A 1974 STUDY OF THE RELATIVE COSTS OF 10 CORRECTIONAL ALTERNATIVES.

Abstract

AN ANALYSIS OF THE LINK BETWEEN THE ECONOMIC FUTURE OF CORRECTIONS AND THE FUTURE OF SOCIETY IN GENERAL POINTS TO THE NEED TO REEXAMINE THE UNDERLYING SOCIAL VALUES THAT HAVE SUPPORTED INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNITED STATES, REDUCED THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR MANY CITIZENS, AND DOWNGRADED THE MEANING OF WORK. IT IS CONTENDED THAT, UNTIL THESE AND RELATED ISSUES ARE ADDRESSED, THE ECONOMICS OF THE PAST WILL DOMINATE CORRECTIONS IN THE FUTURE. GIVEN THE FACT THAT TRENDS IN THE RATE OF IMPRISONMENT ARE NOT BEING REFLECTED IN CORRECTIONS FUNDING, THE CHOICE APPEARS TO BE BETWEEN REDUCING THE NUMBER OF CLIENTS OR REDISTRIBUTING THEM TO LOWER-COST PROGRAMS. EITHER CHOICE INVOLVES POLITICAL RISKS AND ACTION ON A BROAD FRONT, INCLUDING THE DECRIMINALIZATION OF CERTAIN OFFENSES, REVISIONS IN THE SENTENCING PROCESS, AND GREATER EMPHASIS ON NONINSTITUTIONAL PROGRAMS. A LEAA-FUNDED STUDY OF CORRECTIONAL ALTERNATIVES FOUND THAT, GENERALLY, CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM COSTS RISE AS A PERSON IS PROCESSED FURTHER INTO THE SYSTEM. ESTIMATED COST PER CLIENT YEAR (1974) FOR CORRECTIONAL ALTERNATIVES RANGED FROM $1,487 (FORMALIZED DIVERSION EMPHASIZING DRUG SERVICES) TO $9,439 (TYPICAL STATE PRISON). (LKM)