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Other states closing prisons in wake of budget crunch

News that budget cuts have forced closure of a prison unit in Oregon for the first time in that state's history prompted me to take a second look at this recent report (pdf) from the Vera Institute of Justice titled "The Continuing Fiscal Crisis in Corrections," which reports that quite a few other states are taking similar steps:Fifteen states of the 44 surveyed reported plans to close facilities or reduce their number of beds in fiscal year 2011, many as a result of a decreasing prison population. Six of these states have already closed facilities or parts of them. Delaware closed part of one facility by moving prisoners to a more staff-efficient housing unit; this has cut costs by eliminating 10 full-time positions. Rhode Island?which made several policy changes in 2008 designed to keep its inmate population from growing?has been able to shut some housing units, thereby decreasing staff overtime...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on November 06, 2010 (boomark / email).