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VA: Delegates weigh prison savings

By Real Cost of Prisons Project (The Sentencing Project)

Delegates weigh prison savings By Tyler Whitley Published: January 24, 2009 Sixty percent of the new commitments to Virginia's prison system have a history of substance abuse, the director of the Department of Corrections told the House Appropriations Committee yesterday. About one-fourth of the new entrants committed drug offenses, Gene M. Johnson added, as he outlined Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's proposals to save money and manage inmate behavior. Saying some people could be let out early without endangering society if they behave while in prison, Johnson said "we want to lock up people we are afraid of and not ones we're mad at." Currently, inmates who have served longer than a year can be released 30 days early. Kaine has proposed giving the Department of Corrections the authority to release some nonviolent offenders up to 90 days early at a savings to the state of $5 million a year...continue to full post

Full post as published by The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog on January 24, 2009 (boomark / email).