News (Media Awareness Project) - US CO: Senate Panel Approves Sentence-Reduction Bill |
| Title: | US CO: Senate Panel Approves Sentence-Reduction Bill |
| Published On: | 2003-05-01 |
| Source: | Pueblo Chieftain (CO) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-20 18:06:49 |
SENATE PANEL APPROVES SENTENCE-REDUCTION BILL
DENVER (AP) - Nonviolent prison inmates convicted of certain crimes could
get their sentences reduced and some parole violators could avoid going
back to prison under two bills approved Thursday in a House committee.
A third bill that was approved would allow some drug offenders to avoid prison.
The bills are designed to extract cost savings from the state corrections
system. Together, they would would save nearly $10 million by the 2005-06
fiscal year, sponsors said.
The House Judiciary Committee approved the bills.
Under Senate Bill 328, inmates convicted of nonviolent crimes on first
offenses would earn "good time" at a rate of 12 days per month, up from the
current 10 days per month. The change would allow those inmates to be
released earlier. It would not apply to those convicted of nonviolent sex
offenses.
The measure sponsored by Rep. Tom Plant, D-Nederland, was sent to the House
Appropriations Committee for consideration.
Plant said the bill would save an estimated $850,000 per year by the
2005-06 fiscal year.
People who violate their parole for technical reasons could be sent to
community corrections rather than prison under Senate Bill 252, sponsored
by Rep. Joe Stengel.
He said one of three parole violations occur for technical reasons, and
sending those people to community corrections would result in estimated
savings of $7.7 million in fiscal 2005-06.
Stengel's bill would apply only to people convicted of nonviolent felonies
except for menacing or sex offenses. It was sent to the Appropriations
Committee.
Under Senate Bill 318, sponsored by Rep. Lynn Hefley, R-Colorado Springs,
penalties for possession of 1 gram or less of any controlled substance
would drop, giving judges the option to send a defendant either to
probation, county jail or community corrections rather than prison.
The program would expire in 2007 unless legislators decide to renew it.
Hefley's bill would result in estimated savings of $1.3 million by 2005-06.
It was sent to the full House for consideration.
DENVER (AP) - Nonviolent prison inmates convicted of certain crimes could
get their sentences reduced and some parole violators could avoid going
back to prison under two bills approved Thursday in a House committee.
A third bill that was approved would allow some drug offenders to avoid prison.
The bills are designed to extract cost savings from the state corrections
system. Together, they would would save nearly $10 million by the 2005-06
fiscal year, sponsors said.
The House Judiciary Committee approved the bills.
Under Senate Bill 328, inmates convicted of nonviolent crimes on first
offenses would earn "good time" at a rate of 12 days per month, up from the
current 10 days per month. The change would allow those inmates to be
released earlier. It would not apply to those convicted of nonviolent sex
offenses.
The measure sponsored by Rep. Tom Plant, D-Nederland, was sent to the House
Appropriations Committee for consideration.
Plant said the bill would save an estimated $850,000 per year by the
2005-06 fiscal year.
People who violate their parole for technical reasons could be sent to
community corrections rather than prison under Senate Bill 252, sponsored
by Rep. Joe Stengel.
He said one of three parole violations occur for technical reasons, and
sending those people to community corrections would result in estimated
savings of $7.7 million in fiscal 2005-06.
Stengel's bill would apply only to people convicted of nonviolent felonies
except for menacing or sex offenses. It was sent to the Appropriations
Committee.
Under Senate Bill 318, sponsored by Rep. Lynn Hefley, R-Colorado Springs,
penalties for possession of 1 gram or less of any controlled substance
would drop, giving judges the option to send a defendant either to
probation, county jail or community corrections rather than prison.
The program would expire in 2007 unless legislators decide to renew it.
Hefley's bill would result in estimated savings of $1.3 million by 2005-06.
It was sent to the full House for consideration.
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