Chapter 18

Incarceration Trends

Clear & Cole,

American Corrections, 8 th

Incarceration Trends

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Explaining Prison Population Trends

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Increased Arrests and More Likely Incarceration

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Tougher Sentencing Prison Construction The War on Drugs State Politics

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Public Policy Trends

Dealing with Overcrowded Prisons

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The Null Strategy The Construction Strategy Intermediate Sanctions Prison Population Reduction

The impact of Prison Does Incarceration Pay?

Clear & Cole,

American Corrections, 8 th

PRISON POPULATION TRENDS Clear & Cole,

American Corrections, 8 th

why the growth in incarceration rate?

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demographic change

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changes in the proportion of people in “crime prone” (16 - 24) & “incarceration prone” (25 30) age groups

increased arrest rates & more incarceration (including for probation/parole violations) tougher sentencing practices

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less probation, longer sentences, fewer paroles

prison construction war on drugs public policy trends: “getting tough”

Clear & Cole,

American Corrections, 8 th

Incarceration Rates and Violent Crime Rates in Selected Contiguous States

Clear & Cole,

American Corrections, 8 th

strategies to address prison crowding crisis

null strategy construction strategy strategies prison population reduction intermediate sanctions

Clear & Cole,

American Corrections, 8 th

“null strategy” 

the strategy of in time doing nothing to relieve crowding in prisons on the assumption that the problem is temporary and will disappear

Clear & Cole,

American Corrections, 8 th

prison population reduction 

states rarely control prison population

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9 states with sentencing guidelines have required guideline framers to consider prison capacity when stipulating sentences

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e.g., Minnesota has had 2d lowest incarceration rate in U.S. from 1985 - 1997

Texas county “shipping” formula, 1990 “back door” strategies more typical:

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parole, work release, good time

Clear & Cole,

American Corrections, 8 th

“construction strategy”  

a strategy of building new facilities to meet the demand for prison space

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cost of average prison cell (in 500 bed facility):

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$75,000 base construction cost (= $31 million)

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$22,000 $82,000 architects’ fees, furnishings, site prep.

actual cost per cell $41,000,000 to build 500 bed facility

operating cost:

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$19,000 per inmate per year ($9.5 mill) 30-year bill for 500 bed facility:

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$326 million NOT the $30 million originally claimed.

Clear & Cole,

American Corrections, 8 th

impact of prison crowding

ill health

offender misconduct results of crowding

violent behavior

post-release recidivism

Clear & Cole,

American Corrections, 8 th

does incarceration pay?

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Debate over cost-effectiveness of prison. marginal savings of locking up each offender?

Zedlewski : DiIulio Marvell : : $430,000 vs. cost of $25,000 $28,000 vs. cost of $14,000 would save 21 crimes/year per offender

Clear & Cole,

American Corrections, 8 th

hidden costs of incarceration

offenders’ families & children

loss of young men to communities hidden costs post-release recidivism opportunity costs of not having other social programs

Clear & Cole,

American Corrections, 8 th