HARRISBURG (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - A new report find criminal justice reform could save taxpayers millions.
Auditor General Eugene DePasquale’s report recommends 18 reforms to cut down on Pennsylvania incarceration rates.
“On a global scale, our state’s incarceration rate is much higher than that of oppressive regimes such as Russian, Iran and even Turkey and Pennsylvania has an even higher incarceration than the United States as a whole,” said DePasquale.
Approximately 700 out of every 100,000 residents in the United States is behind bars. Pennsylvania’s rate is even higher, at roughly 725 per 100,000 people.
DePasquale says taxpayers paid $1.6 billion to incarcerate 46,000 people last year.
$101 million went toward inmates who were jailed for parole violations but had not committed new crimes.
“It took some time, but people on both sides of the aisle finally realized that the ‘lock-‘em-up, throw away the key’ approach to sentencing that began in the 1990s ultimately caused more problems than it solved,” DePasquale said. “It’s time for Pennsylvania to build on what we’ve learned and continue our progress.”
DePasquale released the reforms he believes are necessary in a release Tuesday:
Needed Pre-Trial Reforms
Indigent defense funding: Pennsylvania remains the only state that does not provide funding for the defense of indigent defendants, instead pushing that cost onto counties. This system is overly burdensome to poorer, more rural counties, which tend to incarcerate higher percentages of their populations.
Cash bail: Judges frequently require defendants to post cash bail, which results in low-income defendants being incarcerated prior to trial and driving additional costs to taxpayers.
Risk assessments: Critics say risk-assessment tools used to help courts determine sentences may have a disproportionately negative impact on minority defendants.
Diversionary & treatment courts: Defendants struggling with addiction may benefit from being diverted to treatment rather than jail, which can produce a lasting benefit to both the individual and society while saving taxpayers millions of dollars.
Needed Reforms During Incarceration
Physical and mental health care: Pennsylvania spends less per inmate on health care than the national average. Shortages of mental health services throughout Pennsylvania exacerbate the problems in both state prisons and county jails, which rely largely on contractors to provide these services.
Education/workforce training: Data shows that every $1 spent on education in prison saves taxpayers $5 in related incarceration costs. In addition, Pennsylvania should remove barriers to post-prison employment to ensure inmates that receive job training can use it after their release.
Needed Reforms After Incarceration
Probation and parole: Currently, supervised release remains one of the biggest contributors to mass incarceration in Pennsylvania, as opposed to being a means of helping former offenders reenter society and thrive.
Pardons and clemency: The state Board of Pardons has been working to simplify the process of applying for a pardon and speed up the process of applying for clemency. Delays in receiving pardons or clemency create barriers to housing, employment and other opportunities.
You can read the full report from the Auditor General's office here.
“Clearly there’s room for more reform work to be done at all levels of the criminal justice system,” DePasquale said. “We can treat people more equitably while saving taxpayers millions of dollars – something that is not only possible, but also necessary.”
___Listen to KDKA Radio on the RADIO.COM AppTell your smart speaker to "play News Radio 10 20 KDKA"Receive email updates from KDKA RadioFollow KDKA Radio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram