Content area
Abstract
In the wake of the recent economic crisis state policymakers have begun to consider redirecting expenditures on corrections as a way to trim state budgets. Recent attention has focused on reducing prison populations as a solution. However, this is a politically charged issue that has to balance the needs of the government and criminal justice system in the milieu of resource scarcity, with the needs of the offenders, and the safety of the community. This paper assesses how reducing inmates' time served in prison, eliminating the use of prison for parole or probation technical violators, and decriminalizing 'victimless' crimes could impact the financial costs of incarceration in the state of Texas. Implications for policy and evidence-based alternatives to incarceration are discussed.