Earlier this week, we saw two prime candidates to prison receive short jail sentences. Some readers expressed outrage over the judge handing the down the sentences, but it really has to be the change from the state. This is something I understand, as I think it became too easy just to send 'em to prison. You can keep sending them away, and our state's prison population reflected that, but were we any safer?
No, is the simple answer.
Crimes keep being committed and it will only get worse as more people are broke, unemployed, bitter, frustrated and looking for ways to relieve the stress, leading to drug and alcohol use and abuse.
So the state is expanding its reduction of prison funding, announcing today the intention to close 5 prisons and 3 camps. It has to be done because if you're going to cut the budget, you cannot ignore the largest part of the budget, prison spending.