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Colorado may reduce drug-possession sentences to lower costs; should Texas?

Colorado is considering reducing drug sentences as part of an effort to reduce prison costs, reports the Colorado Springs Gazette ("Prison Crowding: $700 million is too much; release nonviolent offenders early, panel says," Nov. 22):Colorado prisons are overflowing with inmates, at a cost of nearly $700 million a year to taxpayers, in part due to mandatory sentences for nonviolent drug offenders, a panel of state lawmakers and sentence reform advocates said at a town hall meeting Saturday. To ease the pressure on the state prison system, the 2010 General Assembly will be asked to pass a package of bills that would give judges discretion at sentencing to let some of those convicts out sooner. The sentencing reform package also will include bills reducing penalties for possession of marijuana and other drugs...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on November 28, 2009 (boomark / email).