Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Medford plans to go after utilty debtors ... Buddhist lama from Bhutan to visit Ashland ... Jury convicts dad for trying to arrange assault of babysitter ... Medford plans to go after utilty debtors ... Buddhist lama from Bhutan to visit Ashland ... Jury convicts dad for trying to arrange assault of babysitter ... OUR VIEW Our View: Sentencing reform pays dividends Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Dec. 11, 2014 at 12:01 AM Posted Dec. 11, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Social News Some were skeptical when Gov. John Kitzhaber appointed a Public Safety Commission to explore ways to reduce prison costs through sentencing reform. Now the results of the first year of the resulting changes are in, and the savings appear to be real. After Oregon voters passed Measure 11, the mandatory minimum sentencing law, in 1994, the state's prison population soared. The number of prisoners behind bars doubled after 1995, from 7,000 to 14,000, and was projected to add 2,000 more by 2023, requiring the state to add prison space at a cost of $600 million. Another get-tough-on-crime initiative, Measure 57, passed in 2008, added prison time for repeat drug and property offenses, The Public Safety Commission's analysis found Oregon’s incarceration rate grew eight times faster than the national average between 2001 and 2011. Drug offenders and other nonviolent criminals were spending more time behind bars, and more were being sent to prison in the first place, while violent offenders were being imprisoned at about the same rate they had been. Meanwhile, community corrections and other local programs designed to reduce recidivism suffered budget cuts.  After the commission presented its recommendations to the 2013 Legislature, lawmakers passed a series of sentencing reforms focusing on prison time for those most dangerous to society while limiting prison time for nonviolent offenders in favor of community supervision. Money was directed to the counties in the form of grants to beef up community corrections, re-entry programs for released prisoners, and substance abuse and mental health treatment. The long-term projected savings were impressive, but projections don't always come true. The first year of the new approach, however, shows the commission was on the right track. State prison officials now expect the reforms will save $17 million in the current budget cycle and $64 million in the 2015-17 biennium. Plans to build new prison capacity have been scrapped. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, which provided technical assistance to the commission, Oregon's prison population has stabilized, and state officials project growth of only 4 percent in the next 10 years — a third of the projected growth before the reforms. Long-term, the reforms are expected to reduce prison growth by 870 beds and save state taxpayers $326 million by the end of 2023. The commission — and the lawmakers from both parties who came together to enact the reforms — deserve credit for using correction dollars in ways that are cost-effective, not just politically popular.    MailTribune.com Writer Posted Dec. 11, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501