NCJ Number
133650
Date Published
1989
Length
14 pages
Annotation
The growth in the prison population over the past decade has prompted some States to adopt innovative steps to alleviate conditions of overcrowding and to begin planning for future problems for a prison population comprised of more women, youth, and older inmates.
Abstract
Public opinion and many elements of the criminal justice system are increasingly voicing the view that incapacitation is the principal goal of punishment. Proponents of incapacitation cite declining crime rates as evidence that a "get tough" approach achieves deterrence and keeps offenders off the streets. Detractors cite the prison overcrowding problem as a major drawback to the approach. While the prison population profile has in general remained stable, there have been large increases in the numbers of incarcerated women and youths. Most State prison inmates are male, young, drug users, and unskilled. Many prison facilities have been operating at full capacity and beyond, and projections of prison populations suggest the problem will only worsen. Some solutions to alleviating overcrowding include increasing prison capacity; reducing admissions through intensive supervision programs, community corrections, house arrest, and shock probation; and reducing the length of stay. 3 tables and 13 references