The nonpartisan Council of State Governments Justice Center released a report addressing rising prison populations in Wisconsin to state lawmakers Wednesday. The report outlined policy change recommendations.
The recommendations are designed to reduce the amount of prisoners who re-enter the system and to limit parole. According to the Associated Press, implementing these strategies would save the state $2.3 billion.
A bipartisan committee headed by state Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, which since January has been discussing public safety and overcrowding in state prisons, will review the recommendations.
Gov. Jim Doyle's proposed budget includes a provision to address prison overcrowding, including the possibility of releasing non-violent prisoners early from prison, contrary to the state's truth-in-sentencing policy.
Truth-in-sentencing, a policy enacted in 1998, eliminates the possibility of parole, requiring prisoners to serve full terms.
""[Truth-in-sentencing] was designed to reduce recidivism and make us safer, and what happened in the period since it was enacted is recidivism has increased and crime has increased,"" state Rep. Joe Parisi, D-Madison, said.
UW-Madison professor of sociology Pamela Oliver said the truth-in-sentencing policy contributes to those costs. According to her, it costs close to $40,000 a year to incarcerate one prisoner.
""It doesn't make a heck of a lot of sense financially to keep these people locked up,"" Oliver said.
UW-Madison law professor John Pray said the truth-in-sentencing policy reduces inmates' incentive to rehabilitate.
""They might stay in prison longer, but on the whole they're less likely to do well outside,"" Pray said.
Kimberly Liedl, spokesperson for state Senate Minority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said early release of prisoners would jeopardize citizens' safety.
""Senator Fitzgerald feels this is not the proper way to go about saving money,"" Liedl said. ""There are other things to look at rather than jeopardizing safety in our communities.""
Nevertheless, according to a study by the Pew Research Center, Wisconsin spending on corrections has increased from $557 million in 1997 to $1.08 billion in 2008, and with budget cuts looming, lawmakers are looking for ways to cut costs.
The committee plans to vote next week on which recommendations should be introduced in the Legislature.
