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How many states are being forced by economic realities to consider releasing prisoners?

By Douglas A. Berman

This local story from Virginia, headlined "Kaine?s plan calls for release of inmates," has me wondering how many states are being forced to consider inmate releases because of economic difficulties. Here is the start of the piece from Virginia, which spotlights both the practical and political issues that always surround these stories: Gov. Timothy M. Kaine?s proposal to release roughly 1,000 inmates 90 days early runs counter to the longstanding direction of policy in the state and is raising some mixed reactions, even among Republicans. Kaine?s budget proposal, if approved by the General Assembly, would save an estimated $5 million by 2010 and would leave it up to the director of the Virginia Department of Corrections to select the nonviolent inmates for early release...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on December 21, 2008 (boomark / email).