Pubdate: Sat, 20 Apr 2002
Source: Eau Claire Leader-Telegram (WI)
Copyright: 2002 Eau Claire Press
Contact:  http://www.leadertelegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/236
Author: Conrad Hutterli

PRISON SPENDING EXPLODES

Inescapable economic realities may yet be the force requiring a more 
reasoned, sensible approach to dealing with convicted offenders in Wisconsin.

Former Gov. Thompson, with bipartisan legislative support, embarked years 
ago on a program of building prisons of all shapes and descriptions. A 
"truth-in-sentencing" law was passed, which increased the numbers in prisons.

This prison construction has been called a desirable growth industry 
because of the business and job opportunities it provided.

This combination of helping the economy and being tough on crime was too 
good for any politician to criticize.

The lawmakers ignored concerns about the wisdom of creating a gross 
overdependence on prisons at the price of diminishing community-based 
programming.

They blissfully shut out warnings from even friendly supporters that the 
truth-in-sentencing legislation needed to be accompanied by legislation 
adjusting downward penalty provisions and establishing sentencing 
guidelines to help judges hand out reasonable sentences.

Judge Barland warned the governor four years ago that enacting 
truth-in-sentencing alone could very well overload even the expanded prison 
capacity at a budget breaking cost.

The question is: "What is to be done in Wisconsin to correct the expensive, 
counterproductive mistakes?" Taxpayers' tolerance of this gross misuse of 
our resources -- dollar and human -- never ceases to amaze me.

A Leader-Telegram editorial on March 28 titled "It's time for action on 
Barland's advice" covers some of the issues, but what will the response be? 
I do believe that too many of us are absolutely brain dead on these 
important issues.

To paraphrase a famous quotation: "All it takes for the perpetuation of bad 
decisions by our elected officials is for responsible individuals to do 
nothing."

CONRAD HUTTERLI

Eau Claire
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens