Did you realize that there are more Americans on parole or probation than are held within the prison system? Yep, it s hard to fathom but 1 in 58 American adults â about 4.4 million citizens â are currently under some sort of community supervision.
Do they all need to be? Doubtful. And the status quo is costing taxpayers billions every single year.
There have been a gazillion words written about prison reform, relaxation of stiff sentences and reduced incarceration rates, but there has been much less said about a larger part of our corrections system that costs you, the taxpayer, some $9.3 billion each year. That s the latest estimate of how much money is spent locking up people for violating their parole or probation.
Even after prison, many Americans held captive heraldstandard.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from heraldstandard.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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And, once under the system, the complexity of the rules makes many offenders feel as if they are being set up for failure.
Look, sometimes a parolee or probationer commits another crime, and for the public s safety, they need to be locked up again. But a nationwide study by The Council of State Governments shows a full 45% of the reincarcerated simply violated a rule. They may have botched some paperwork, forgot a curfew or missed a drug test because the bus to the lab was late.
The CSG s report estimates that nearly $3 billion could be saved each year if the system was focused more on helping offenders ease back into lawful society rather than meting out punishments for breaking one of their rigid rules.
Our Incarceration Nation: Even After Prison, Many Americans Are Held Captive theepochtimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theepochtimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Did you realize that there are more Americans on parole or probation than are held within the prison system? Yep, it’s hard to fathom but 1 in 58 American adults – about 4.4 million citizens – are currently under some sort of community supervision.
Do they all need to be? Doubtful. And the status quo is costing taxpayers billions every single year.
There have been a gazillion words written about prison reform, relaxation of stiff sentences and reduced incarceration rates but there has been much less said about a larger part of our corrections system that costs you, the taxpayer, some $9.3 billion each year. That’s the latest estimate of how much money is spent locking up people for violating their parole or probation.