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Add North Carolina to the list of states strugging with prison population problems

By Douglas A. Berman

This AP story highlights yet another state dealing with the economic and policy challenges of an ever-expanding prison population.  Here are details:The rapid growth in North Carolina's prison population may force lawmakers to spend more tens of millions of dollars to expand the state prison system, according to recent population projections. The growth has cooled but not enough to ward off the need for new construction, said Susan Katzenelson, executive director of the state Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission. The commission has suggested shortening some prison sentences to address the problem, but lawmakers haven't acted on the advice. Last year, prison expansion projects cost more than $32 million. Those projects included adding 504 beds at Scotland Correctional Institution, a 1,000-bed high security facility in Laurinburg, and 252 beds at Alexander Correctional Institution, a 1,000-cell close custody prison in Taylorsville...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on February 19, 2008 (boomark / email).