OZMINT SAYS STATE NEEDS ALTERNATIVES TO PRISON SENTENCES

GREENVILLE, S.C. -(AP)- South Carolina should find alternative sentences for
nonviolent offenders to reduce a growing prison population, Corrections
Department director Jon Ozmint says.

The prison system is at its capacity of 23,500 inmates and has grown 5
percent a year, Ozmint said.

Dealing with an additional 1,200 prisoners a year comes as the Corrections
Department's budget has been cut $72 million in the past three years.

The best way to reduce the population is to focus on the 48 percent of the
state's inmates convicted of nonviolent offenses with no record of
committing violent crimes.

"We need to be more creative and more wise about using expensive bed space,"
Ozmint said.

Rep. Bill Cotty, R-Columbia, agrees changes are needed.

"There's a very large number of people in our prisons there for bad checks,
failure to pay child support and simple possession of drugs," Cotty said.
"And all of those inmates are not paying taxes. They could be on a work
program with a bracelet on their ankle."

Changing would create a political problem, he said.

"No one wants to step up and say, 'Don't send these people to prison,' "
Cotty said. "That sounds like you're soft on crime. It will take political
leadership to say, 'Wait a minute, maybe we need a little bit of
flexibility.' "

House Speaker David Wilkins said the state's primary obligation is to keep
violent criminals in prison. He agrees with looking at options for
nonviolent criminals.

"You lock the violent criminals up and you find alternative ways (to punish)
your nonviolent offenders," Wilkins said.

But Wilkins said no one has proved to him that mandatory minimum sentences
have increased the prison population.

Ozmint said mandatory minimum sentences create management problem.

"You can't offer inmates incentives for good behavior," he said. "Society
not only works with sticks but with carrots. If a guy goes to class or shows
up for work every day we should be able to award him."

Prosecutor Bob Ariail said he thinks mandatory minimum sentences are working
as they were intended, by keeping violent offenders off the streets longer.

Ariail said he generally supports alternative sentencing for nonviolent
criminals.

"However, the devil is in the details," he said. "You have to get their
attention."

Ozmint said he is working with Gov. Mark Sanford's office on a possible
proposal for alternative sentencing but would not give details.

Ozmint said victims, judges and attorneys would have input on whether an
offender is eligible.

"Maybe give them a taste of prison and then allowing them, on the back end,
to have the opportunity to get out and be on electronic monitoring," Ozmint
said.

Rep. Joe Neal, D-Hopkins, is working on legislation to include mandatory
drug treatment for nonviolent drug offenders.

He has said the state can't afford to spend millions of dollars on prison.
The state would see a substantial savings on treatment, he said.