Justice Reinvestment

The Quick & Dirty

: Reform mandatory minimum laws, slow the number of people being sent to prison & redirect savings into proven rehabilitation and crime prevention programs and other critical state budgetary needs.

The Problem

A focus on rehabilitation saves lives and major, major money. It’s more effective and a fraction of the cost to provide a drug offender access to treatment with alternative sentencing than to send that same person to prison.

Mandatory minimums are really expensive. Oregon projects our prison population to grow by another 2,000 prisoners in the next decade if nothing is done, which means 2 news prisons at a cost of $600 million or more.

Our public safety spending is out of balance and not focused on the most effective strategies to address crime and safety. At a time when Oregon is closing schools, increasing tuition, cutting life-saving services to the elderly and the social safety net, we can’t afford to continue this unsustainable prison growth.

The Solution:

Pass a package of corrections reforms to flatline prison growth while effectively addressing crime. Redirect the hundreds of millions of dollars of savings into more effective approaches to building safe and healthy communities.

Where to Find Out More

http://www.safetyandjustice.org/news/2555

http://www.safetyandjustice.org/programs/safety-and-sentencing/myths-and-facts

Discussion

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