An editorial in the Indianapolis Star on August 31, 2010 predicted that in 2017 it will cost the state of Indiana $7 billion dollars to run its correctional system. In the eight years from 2000-2008, the prisoner population rose 41 percent, while the cost associated with operating the prison system jumped to $679 annually, a whopping increase of 76 percent.
The Indianapolis Star called on the Indiana legislature to revise its criminal code, something that has not happened in 26 years. Since 2000 the legislature passed 117 “tough-on-crime” laws, resulting in an overcrowded and over burdened criminal justice system.
The editorial recommends a hard look at the state’s system to discover what is working, and “what’s at odds with reality,“ and to present the findings to the state’s constituents. Governor Mitch Daniels and legislators, the editorial insists, must find the “political courage” to sell the idea of reform to the very voters that supported the 117 “hang ‘em high” laws. Since the majority of inmates are incarcerated for non-violent offenses, the harsh sentences are not warranted, the Star concludes.
The chairperson of Indiana’s Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Richard Bray, is known for his conservative view point, but he believes that the state cannot afford to build more prisons. The Pew Center on the States and the Council of State Governments are working with Indiana to find solutions that will reduce the correctional budget and maintain public safety. Pew will provide the state with $500,00 to $1 million to supplement the state’s $100,000 contribution in their revision efforts. Some suggestions to reduce the incarceration rate include providing substance abuse and mental health treatment, and finding effective alternatives to incarceration.
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