FIND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVES TO PRICEY PRISON SPACE

A Crisis Is Brewing, Largely Unnoticed And With Potentially Major Consequences.

Between 1999 and 2002, Georgia added 8,000 beds to its prison system,
leading the nation in capacity increases three of those four years. Yet
today, more than 4,300 convicted felons are sitting in overcrowded county
jails, awaiting bed space in equally overcrowded state prisons.

The number of people in Georgia's state prisons --- more than 50,000 --- is
higher than ever. County jails hold another 34,000, compared to about
20,000 in 1995. Of the state's 149 county jails, 47 are critically overcrowded.

Furthermore, the population of state prisons is growing by 30 a week, or
more than 1,500 a year. It would cost roughly $27 million a year just to
operate enough beds for those additional prisoners. That does not include
construction costs, which run more than $50 million for a 1,000-bed prison.

And here's where things really get sticky: To meet the demand by Gov. Sonny
Perdue that state budgets be cut by 7.5 percent, the Department of
Corrections may reduce prison capacity by 2,500 beds and not open newly
built diversion and detention centers.

Most of the dramatic increase in Georgia's prison population is due to laws
passed in 1994 imposing harsher sentences on violent criminals and on those
convicted of two or more lesser crimes, such as drug offenses. When those
laws were passed, the average sentence of a Georgia prisoner was eight
years. Today it is 16 years.

What do all these numbers add up to?

Well, a whole lot of money is being spent out of already tight county
budgets. Fulton County has already spent nearly $450,000 of its own money
this year to house prisoners that by law ought to be in state facilities.
Smaller jails have even worse problems.

County jails also handle prisoners whose probations have been revoked for
violations as minor as failing to keep a job. Those prisoners would
ordinarily be housed in state detention centers, but those centers won't
open if the proposed cuts are approved. Alternatives for mentally ill and
drug-addicted prisoners will also disappear.

As a state, our approach toward public safety --- building more prisons and
filling them with prisoners serving longer sentences --- has resulted in a
booming inmate population, but little else. The crime rate has dropped, but
it has also fallen in states where harsher sentences were not imposed.

When the Legislature passed the harsher laws in 1994, little thought was
given to cost. Today we reap the consequences.

It is past time to rethink our approach. New sentencing guidelines and
alternatives to prison, such as work-release programs, closely supervised
probation, drug treatment and education programs must be adopted.

Yes, we should put the violent and incorrigible criminals away for life.
But we should also treat prison space as an expensive resource that must be
used wisely and well, not wasted on those who don't require it.