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The notable contrast in Arizona and Texas prison population trends

By Douglas A. Berman

Yesterday's Arizona Republic had this long and effective article on prison populations, which was headlined "Ariz. aims to cut prison costs; in Texas, a new approach."  Here is how it gets going: While the U.S. prison population is declining for the first time in nearly 40 years, Arizona is headed in the opposite direction. Unlike in some other states, mandatory-sentencing laws keep Arizona inmates in prison for nearly all of their sentenced time.  And state lawmakers say rewriting sentencing guidelines to grant shorter prison terms is politically unlikely. Amid a historic budget shortfall, some lawmakers are intent on finding ways to reduce the $880 million bill taxpayers foot each year for locking up convicts, nearly 10 percent of the state's $8...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on April 19, 2010 (boomark / email).