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Missouri may join list of states reducing inmate numbers, closing prisons

I've argued that to cut 5% or more from Texas' prison budget would require additional policy changes to reduce inmate populations, not just slashing prison or community supervision budgets. So I was interested to see Missouri's Legislature considering policy reforms to reduce its prison expenses. Here's an excerpt from AP ("Missouri senators advance effort to shrink prison population," April 14):Missouri's budget problems have prompted lawmakers to consider steering some people convicted of such lesser felonies as knowingly damaging property by burning and sexual misconduct with a child into treatment or probation programs, rather than prison.The Missouri Senate gave first-round approval Tuesday to a bill that would bar prison officials from housing people convicted of the least severe state felonies unless the offender has two previous felony convictions...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on April 14, 2010 (boomark / email).