Pubdate: Thu, 02 Dec 2004 Source: Oak Ridger (TN) Copyright: 2004 The Oak Ridger Contact: http://www.oakridger.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1146 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts) Note: from the The Tennessean (Nashville) ADDRESSING PRISONS SOMETHING STATE MUST DO, IS DOING Tennessee must continue to look for the smartest ways to address prisons; discussions in Nashville last week should foster that goal. Criminal justice officials from across the state met for four days in a Criminal Justice Summit to discuss ways to streamline and improve the system. The summit produced a list of alternative approaches to incarceration that is worthy of the state's attention. The proposals include establishing more reporting centers for parolees, building partnerships between government and community agencies and implementing more drug courts. Authorities are also looking at using tracking systems on parolees, as opposed to keeping them under lock and key. Some of those ideas were discussed prior to the summit by state Commissioner of Correction Quenton White, who has emphasized approaches such as alternative sentencing and rehabilitation as a way to hold down the state's prison population. White emphasized that public safety is the most important concern. The public needs to see that prison officials will not waver on that commitment. But just locking up offenders makes no sense if there are more productive approaches. White points to the escalating costs of providing more prison beds. The state spent $480 million this year to house 22,000 inmates. If a person is in trouble with an addiction, it makes more sense to get that person off the addiction than to let lockup be the answer. It makes more sense to monitor nonviolent offenders who could be out and productive than to keep them in one place. White is right to call attention to alternative approaches in criminal justice. The summit was the first of its kind in the state, but it shouldn't be the last. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D