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Doyle wants to release inmates to save money
Plan would let some out early to help cut incarceration costs
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In an effort to raise more revenue for the state, Gov. Jim Doyle plans to grant parole and early release to certain inmates to significantly cut expensive incarceration costs.
The Pew Center on the States, a group that identifies and advances state policy solutions through facts and research, released a report on Monday that says states could combat high prison costs by putting more low-risk offenders on probation or granting prisoners parole before their sentences are up.
According to PCS, Wisconsin currently has the 28th highest incarceration rate in the United States, with 1 in 109 adults in jail or prison.
The report also said the costs of corrections for the state total $1.08 billion annually.
This report helps to lend credibility to Doyle’s plan, which was announced in his biennial budget address in February.
According to Rachel Krueger, spokesperson for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, eligible offenders are those currently serving sentences for convictions of a Class C through Class I felony and who are not felony sex offenders.
Krueger added this program will help Wisconsin by centering attention on those more likely to re-offend.
“By concentrating our resources on these offenders, we can reduce recidivism in Wisconsin,” Krueger said.
Krueger also said there are approximately 3,000 offenders in our prisons who could possibly be eligible for the program, but determination is going to be on a case-by-case basis using risk assessment, offense and case history as factors, so it is still uncertain as to how many will be released.
Krueger added any time not served in prison would be added to the offender’s extended supervision, so there is not really any lessening of the punishment.
Doyle’s proposal is estimated to save the state around $27 million in the next biennium budget, according to Rep. Joe Parisi, D-Madison, chairman of the Assembly Committee on Corrections and the Courts.
Parisi said because people are incarcerated without any treatment or job training, the state is ultimately hurting itself since most of those prisoners end up right back in prison.
Parisi believes focusing on rehabilitation is fiscally responsible and will make the state a safer place.
“Looking at the economic situation that we’re facing right now, we can use every dollar we can get,” Parisi said. “So any program that can save us millions of dollars, make us safer and reduce recidivism is one we need to go after.”
Correction and the Courts Committee member Rep. Mark Gundrum, R-New Berlin, does not agree that Doyle’s proposal is in the best interest of public safety.
“I’m very concerned that individuals who have not served their full sentence … will now be released early back onto the streets,” Gundrum said.
Gundrum added the eligible offenders are still dangerous individuals, as the offense list includes first- and second-degree reckless homicide, homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, kidnapping, child enticement and child abuse.
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I am all for letting inmates out that are non violent and have served enough of there sentence!
I really hope this passes to let inmates out. Alot have been rehabilitated and deserve to be let out. This does need to be case by case and a good evaluation on the inmates who qualify and or are close to meeting the qauilifications. I go to a correctional facility 1 to 3 times a week and have been doind so for the last 6 years and I have seen guys who have changed and guys who haven’t. I have seen alot in 6 years. I just hope this helps out in the long run. I am all for it. Thank you.
There are guys in there that have served enough time and have been rehabilitated. That is why the evaluations need to be done on a case by case basis. There will be inmates that have not changed and I believe that is due to not serving enough time and really seeing what that life style is like after more then just a year or 2. The ones who don’t meet the requierments or are not qaulified for it will need more treatments or they are the ones that belong there because they don’t want to change. I believe the ones that desrve this are the ones that have become better people. This is something that really needs to be done. As long as they are non violent offenders there shouldn’t be any concern for the safty of the public. There are more violent people out here that haven’t been caught yet, people need to be more worried about them then the ones that have been rehabilited. I am 100% for this! We need to reduse coast and families need there loved ones home!
I feel that the inmates who have crimes involving vehicals shouldn’t be excluded from this they may not be violent offenders just a crime that is concidered violent. Some inmates are in there for accidents. I think if there is going to be a different action taken with those inmates with a vehical related crime maybe they should be offered boot camp before thier relese.
i am all for nonviolent offenders being release so they can help the ecomomy and be givin a chance to prove themselves again. i have been in a situation where this directly affects me and my kids. this i a good thing that will help everyone i really hope it passes.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT IDEA. GIVE THESE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO PROVE THEMSELVES AGAIN. THIS SHOULD BE ON A CASE TO CASE EVALUATION. THIS DOES DIRECTLY AFFECT ME AND MY KIDS. I AM 100% FOR THIS. THEY CAN BECOME WORKING (IF A JOB IS AVAILABLE) CITIZENS AGAIN. THIS ECONOMY NEEDS ALL THE HELP IT CAN GET. IF THIS STATE CAN SAVE MONEY BY DOING IT WE SHOULD SUPPORT IT. I HOPE IT PASSES!!!
I believe that prisons should all be similar to the “prison” bootcamps that are available to offenders after a they meet a certain time in their sentance (ex: The bootcamp in Black River Falls). I have heard many times that prison has been compared to being just a “big playground”. If we kept the prison curriculums closer to that of the bootcamps, I would too then agree to letting offenders shave extra time off their sentances. In the bootcamps there are classes that teach offenders how to get back into living into society again. (The world did not stop turning while they were locked up. Things change progressivly through the time spent away) The bootcamps have classes such as “Criminal Thinking”; which is about taking the offenders “thought process” (which is almost always pertained to breaking the law) and turning it into something that can be used productively (ex: drug dealer= money management/stocks/sales..get it? a drug dealer finds “customers” and sells his product, manages his customers…STOCKS-Trading; trading one good for another, always finding the better deal, MONEY…SALES-Well criminals are all good talkers, they have to be) Anways, we shouldnt be letting offenders out without educating them in every way we can…Time spent isnt always spent well unless a helping hand is there to guide them..Offenders need our (government/state) help to find the “right” way of living in our society…
I am glad the budget has passed. I just hope now they really look at each inmate and see what they have done. There are inmates that may have violent crimes but are not violent people, they just made a bad choice or were in the wrong place at the wrong time.