Journal-Inquirer, 04 Jun 2011 – Legislation to authorize the Correction Department to reduce sentences for prisoners who complete self-improvement programs is agitating minority Republicans as it gets rubber-stamping from the Democratic majority in the General Assembly. Republicans say that while the bill is dressed up as a public-safety measure, it is meant only to save money by reducing the prison population and will increase crime by parolees. Some prisoners convicted of violence, the Republicans note, might qualify for the rehabilitative programs and then earlier release. But of course it probably has been decades since anything good at the state Capitol has been done for the right reasons, and if someone’s ulterior motives disqualified legislation, there might never be any law at all. Governor Malloy and prison administrators say the rehabilitative programs will do some good, and the chance of earning sentence reductions can be a valuable disciplinary tool with prisoners.
posted on June 4, 2011 by
