Prisons are overcrowded for four main reasons. First, over the past decade, there has been an increase in imprisonment. Second, changes in federal and state sentencing laws require more offenders to serve longer periods. Third, there has been an increase in imprisonment for drug and violent offenses. Fourth, a prison industrial complex has emerged. The method that I believe is most important to controlling prison crowding is by reducing the number of people who go to prison by making more use of front-end strategies such as diversion, community corrections, and intermediate sanctions. I strongly believe that if you
Prisons are overcrowded for four main reasons. First, over the past decade, there has been an increase in imprisonment. Second, changes in federal and state sentencing laws require more offenders to serve longer periods. Third, there has been an increase in imprisonment for drug and violent offenses. Fourth, a prison industrial complex has emerged. The method that I believe is most important to controlling prison crowding is by reducing the number of people who go to prison by making more use of front-end strategies such as diversion, community corrections, and intermediate sanctions. I strongly believe that if you