Pubdate: Thu, 15 Feb 2007
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2007 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Gerry Smith, Cox News Service
Note: The report "Public Safety, Public Spending: Forecasting 
America's Prison Population 2007-2011" is on line as a 52 page .pdf 
at http://www.pewtrusts.com/pdf/PSPP_prison_projections_0207.pdf
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)

PRISONS PROJECTED TO OUTPACE U.S. IN POPULATION GROWTH

Washington - Prison populations will grow 13 percent in five years, 
triple the expected U.S. population growth rate during that time, and 
will cost an additional $27.5 billion, a report released Wednesday projected.

The report by the Pew Charitable Trusts attributes the estimated 
addition of 192,000 inmates to overall demographic growth, coupled 
with current state policy decisions and a slowdown of parole grants.

In addition to growth in the federal prison system, four states - 
Florida, Texas, California and Arizona - will account for about 45 
percent of the total prison population increase, the study found.

As for Colorado, it ranks sixth in expected growth between 2006 and 
2011, at 31 percent, the report said. Barring reforms in sentencing 
or release policies, it said, there will be one new prisoner for 
every four now in prison in Colorado by 2011.

James Austin, a co-author of the report, placed the onus for stemming 
the growth on probation and parole systems.

"If we can get some kind of improvement in that area, these numbers 
would change radically," he told a news conference.

Imprisonment levels are expected to rise in all but four states, with 
those in the West, Midwest and South increasing by double-digit 
percentages, the study projected.

In addition, the average inmate will be older and will be more likely 
female, with the growth of women prisoners (16 percent) projected to 
outpace the growth of men (12 percent), according to the report.

It also projected:

. New inmates will cost states an additional $15 billion for prison 
operations and $12.5 billion for construction of prison beds.

. Northeast states have the lowest incarceration rates but also have 
the highest cost per prisoner.

. Rhode Island spends the most per prisoner ($44,860), while 
Louisiana spends the least ($13,009). 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake