Prison Construction is Ineffective in Promoting Public Safety and Reducing Crime
I. Prison construction fails to increase public safety. Offenders who are incarcerated but not provided with treatment or rehabilitation actually leave prison slightly more likely to commit criminal behavior, while offenders who receive treatment are 15% less likely to re-offend.[i] Building more prisons will reduce available resources for more effective alternatives.
II. Increasing incarceration does not reduce criminal activity. Between 1980 and 2005, Texas increased its incarceration rate to levels higher than rates in California, New York, and Florida, but it decreased its crime rate the least when compared to these states.[i]
III. Building prisons perpetuations the revolving door of recidivism. Over half of TDCJ prison admissions annually are revoked parolees and probationers.[ii] Building more prisons will only re-create this problem on a larger scale. For instance, there is no accurate tool that effectively diagnoses a prisoner and his/her problem (i.e. severity of addiction, mental problems, etc.). Once prisoners with more serious problems find their way to ordinary prison wings, there is a significant risk that their problems will remain unrecognized and their needs unmet. In addition, there is no true transition plan in place that will decrease the likelihood of the prisoner committing the same type of crime.
|
|
Population Growth
|
Change in Incarceration Rate
|
Change in Crime Rate
|
|
Texas
|
61%
|
206%
|
-19%
|
|
California
|
50%
|
188%
|
-40%
|
|
New York
|
82%
|
106%
|
-31%
|
|
Florida
|
10%
|
74%
|
-54%
|
Source: Tony Fabelo, Justice Center, Council for State Governments
IV. Incarceration fails to provide a path towards responsible living. Because prisons do not offer programs that rehabilitate individuals and allow them to succeed upon release, serving time in prison severs the ability of individuals to successfully become independent and contributing members of society. Essentially, incarceration removes the safety net of social networks that can assist these individuals in avoiding criminal behavior.
[i] Challeen, Dennis. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections.
[ii] Texas Sunset Commission Staff Report – TDCJ, October 2006.