FIGHTING CRIME

Governor's Proposal Sounds Tough, But At What Price?

Not many people outside violent-felon circles mind when politicians start
talking about getting tough on crime. Heck, a lot of us don't really even
mind that this talk tends to flare up as elections draw nigh.

It is half-appealing to hear Gov. Don Siegelman propose legislation that
would require repeat violent offenders to serve their entire sentences with
no chance for parole. Under Siegelman's plan, even first-time violent
offenders would have to serve 85 percent of their sentences.

And why not? They killed, injured or at least threatened their victims, and
they should pay the price, right?

But the costs of get-tough crime measures aren't just borne by
perpetrators. Alabama taxpayers foot the bill for the new prisons, the
extended upkeep of inmates and the inevitable lawsuits filed when clogged
jails reach a breaking point.

Just this past year, Prison Commissioner Mike Haley was found in contempt
of court because 2,000 state inmates were backlogged in county jails. It
was not a first. The truth is, Alabama prison officials have struggled for
years to keep up with a growing demand for their space.

Much of the problem can be traced to get-tough crime measures that set
mandatory sentences for habitual offenders. As of last year, 30 percent of
Alabama's 26,000 inmates were habitual offenders, and more than half were
convicted of drug, property or other nonviolent offenses.

Last October, this newspaper praised Siegelman for signing into law a
measure that makes release possible for nonviolent lifers, including those
serving life-without-parole sentences.

It only makes sense to reserve costly prison space for the most dangerous
violent offenders. It also makes sense to ensure that those inmates serve
an appropriate sentence.

But sentencing reform is a complex issue that should be tackled in a
comprehensive fashion. Absent that, new mandatory sentences on violent
offenders could prove to be another costly mistake if not for Siegelman,
then for governors to come.

This state cannot afford more prisons it can't afford the prisons it has
now. Short sighted "solutions" got us in this fix. Now, the state is in
danger of repeating its past offenses in getting tough on crime.

If Siegelman succeeds, it will be taxpayers who pay the price.