Pubdate: Wed, 24 Sep 2003
Source: Sun Herald (MS)
Copyright: 2003, The Sun Herald
Contact:  http://www.sunherald.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/432
Author: DeSoto Times Today, Southaven

Other Voices

A BETTER SOLUTION IS TO BE 'SMART ON CRIME'

Mississippi's legislators are spending more than $6 million a year to avoid 
appearing soft on crime.

That's the estimate from state Corrections Department chief Christopher 
Epps. In testimony to the state Legislative Budget Committee recently, Epps 
reminded legislators that they had gone beyond federal "truth in 
sentencing" requirements in 1994. The result has been a skyrocketing prison 
population.

The federal government told states that in order to receive federal prison 
funds, they must require inmates convicted of murder, manslaughter, rape, 
armed robbery or aggravated assault to serve at least 85 percent of their 
prison sentences.

Mississippi lawmakers went further - requiring all prisoners to serve at 
least 85 percent of their sentences.

The result has been the number of state prisoners rising from 10,669 in 
1994 to 23,473 less than 10 years later. Costs have gone from $110 million 
in 1994 to $270 million last year.

How much is it worth to Mississippi taxpayers to keep nonviolent offenders 
in prison? Think of the 20-year-old convicted of selling a few ounces of a 
drug to another college kid. Does it increase or decrease his chance of 
future crimes?

The state's correction chief suggested these and other nonviolent offenders 
could be put on house arrest or supervised parole. He called it being 
"smart on crime."

Such changes also would be smart financially, allowing the state to save 
more than $6 million annually, he said.

Legislators need not fear appearing "soft on crime" if they are "smart on 
crime."
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MAP posted-by: Beth