Indiana May Drastically Reform Sentencing Practices

Indiana is on the brink of making some major progressive changes to their criminal sentencing practices. Governor Mitch Daniels announced his support last week for sweeping reforms that could ultimately save over a billion dollars in the next seven years. Not just fiscally responsible, these changes would also serve to halt the progression of the incarceration monster, a beast that caused Indiana’s inmate population to skyrocket 41 percent from 2000 to 2008.

In a report commissioned by the state, the Pew Center on the States and the Council of State Governments Justice Center revealed that Indiana had the fastest growing prison population in the nation; more than 55 percent of new incarcerations were for drug offenses and nonviolent thefts.

These two organizations made a series of recommendations to stop the prison growth and save the state an estimated $1.2 billion between now and 2017. Though all of these recommendations haven’t been released to the public yet, the governor is pushing lawmakers to get busy on drafting legislation to make them a reality. Some sources say legislators have already begun preparing prison-reform bills they hope to pass in the upcoming legislative session. And they could use your support.

Among the changes being recommended:

• Greater judicial discretion, allowing for judges to use community sanctions for nonviolent offenses
• Improving the probation system within the state by bolstering it with additional drug treatment programs, education and mental health options
• Tightening community supervision conditions for the most high-risk offenders, preventing recidivism and probation violations

In 2009, 66 percent of Indiana inmates sent to prison spent less than a year in custody, a clear indication that the state is sending low-level offenders into an already overburdened system. At the same time, recidivism in the state has decreased slightly, from 39.2 percent of offenders returning to prison in 2005 to 37.4 percent in 2008. There’s a good chance that strengthening the probation system will only serve to further reduce such rates as offenders who would have normally been locked up with little programming options will be allowed to maintain employment and community ties while actually being treated for their drug problems and mental health issues.

Without sweeping legislative changes in the current sentencing practices, it’s projected the Indiana prison population will grow another 21 percent between now and 2017—boosting costs an additional $991,200,000 to account for prison construction and operating costs.

Sentencing reform holds crucial benefits not only to the state’s budget but also to public safety. By reserving prison for the most violent and highest risk offenders, the public can rest assured that their money is being spent to incarcerate those who truly pose a risk to their communities. Under current laws, judges have little to no discretion in who gets locked up—sending low risk drug offenders to the same fate as those convicted of violent crimes.

Governor Mitch Daniels and Indiana lawmakers in both parties stand poised to make changes to the current system. While legislation hasn’t been drafted yet, it’s important that an issue with this much seeming support not be allowed to fade as weeks pass. Show Indiana lawmakers you support efforts to cut costs and decrease the over-reliance on incarceration in the Hoosier State.

Photo Credit: Bart Everson