STOP THE PRISON BINGE INSANITY

Wisconsin cannot continue to build prisons at its current pace. That's what
former corrections Secretary Michael Sullivan says, and he's absolutely
right The state's current prison-building tinge is so expensive, it's
threatening other areas of spending that contribute to the state's quality
of life, including the university system, highways, schools, parks and
economic \lquote development. The prison binge eats up so much money,
there's nothing left for front-end crime-prevention programs that might
eventually lessen the stream of inmates -- 250 a month -- pouring into
Wisconsin prisons faster than cells can be built. Nor is there enough money
left for prison rehabilitation programs, including drug and alcohol
treatment, that might help prisoners go straight once they're released. In
the past five years, the number of inmates in Wisconsin prisons has more
than doubled, from 8,000 to 17,000. The cost of keeping them behind bars has
risen from $90 million in 1988 to more tha! ! ! n $900 million in the next
two-year budget. The bill for the prison binge goes to the Legislature,
which promptly charges it to the taxpayers, saying "They told us to order
the tough-on-crime special!" And indeed, they did. But it's time for
everyone to step back and survey what's left on the table. In recent years,
the lawmakers have passed a "life means life" law, a "three strikes and
you're out" law, a "truth in sentencing" law. They reauthorized chain gangs.
They hiked sentences for some crimes, created a number of new imprisonable
offenses and lowered the age at which young people can be sent to prison.

The state's current prison-building binge is so expensive, it's threatening
other areas of spending that contribute to the state's quailty of life,
including the university system, highways, schools, parks and economic
development.

And such get-tough measures -- along with the aging of the baby boomers --
have indeed cut the crime rate. But at an enormous cost. Sullivan, a former
parole officer, advocates returning to a neighborhood-based corrections
policy, where corrections officers and social workers try to turn troubled
lives around. Lest that sound too much like the bad old days of failed
liberalism, remember: Advancements in technology, such as electronic
monitoring, can help corrections officials keep much closer tabs on
offenders. A commission appointed by Gov. Tommy Thompson is currently
preparing recommendations for the Legislature on rewriting the sentencing
guidelines used by judges. The project is taking longer than planned. That's
fine. While they're waiting, state lawmakers should step back and consider
the long-term costs associated with the prison-building binge. They should
study what other states, like Minnesota, are doing to keep prison costs
down. For good measure, how about a ! ! ! moratorium on crime bills that
add to the crowding problem? This is not a time to make a bad situation
worse.