Pubdate: Mon, 11 Aug 2003
Source: Herald, The (SC)
Copyright: 2003 The Herald
Contact:  http://www.heraldonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/369
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing)

REDUCE PRISON POPULATION

Of two proposals for lowering costs in the state prison system, we think 
one showed promise while the other laid an egg. State Corrections 
Department director Jon Ozmint stated recently that South Carolina needs to 
seek alternative sentences for nonviolent offenders to reduce a growing 
prison population. That proposal, we think, makes sense at two levels.

For one thing, getting nonviolent offenders out from behind bars would free 
space for the 1,200 new prisoners incarcerated each year. For another 
thing, it would allow thousands of current inmates the opportunity to 
become productive citizens.

The state's prison system is in dire straits. It has reached its capacity 
of 23,500 inmates and has grown 5 percent a year. And dealing with an 
additional 1,200 prisoners a year comes at a time when the Corrections 
Department budget has been cut $72 million in the past three years.

The state's prisons, however, are full of inmates doing time for simple 
drug possession, check kiting, failure to pay child support and other 
nonviolent offenses. And the cost of housing those prisoners is enormous.

Ozmint is not suggesting the wholesale release of a certain class of 
inmates. While he has offered few specifics so far, he says victims, judges 
and attorneys should have input as to which prisoners become eligible for 
alternative sentencing.

Ozmint also believes mandatory minimum sentences have contributed to 
overcrowding. And with mandatory sentencing, authorities can't offer 
incentives for good behavior.

Locking up prisoners can't be the state's answer for all offenders. Even 
those who say that even nonviolent inmates belong in prison must concede 
that the state has not budgeted enough money to do that.

Parole, including electronic monitoring of parolees, could serve as a 
workable and less costly alternative for many inmates. And, instead of 
being a drain on the state, they could be working and paying taxes.

As to the other plan hatched by Ozmint, we are less enthusiastic. He says 
the state should expand current production of eggs on prison farms from 
10,000 to 100,000 a day. Ozmint reasons that with 100,000 eggs produced 
daily, prisons could take care of daily consumption rates of 72,000 eggs 
and sell the rest in states other than South Carolina.

The math probably is sound. But other factors must be figured into the 
equation. For example, a large-scale egg operation is a dirty, difficult 
business. And chickens are vulnerable to a variety of ailments that can 
wipe out the entire operation practically overnight.

Furthermore, eggs are cheap. It seems that other agricultural pursuits 
might be more lucrative.

Ozmint, we think, will get better results by concentrating on sentencing 
alternatives and leaving the egg production to farmers.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager