Resolution in Support of Justice Reinvestment

Summary

State spending on corrections has grown faster than almost any other budget item in the past 20 years, reaching nearly $52 billion dollars in tight economic times. Prison populations have risen dramatically and correction costs have quadrupled. Although prison admissions have begun to decline in recent years, the recidivism rates are still rising, leaving the fiscal status of many state prison systems untenable. Recognizing these problems, justice reinvestment uses research-based policies to save money on corrections, lower recidivism rates and make communities safer. Justice reinvestment has helped states around the nation cut costs dramatically through intervention, education, treatment, and intense supervision to identify those at the highest risk to commit crime. This resolution supports any policies which would use these proven methods to reduce spending on corrections and reduce recidivism.

Draft

Resolution in Support of Justice Reinvestment

WHEREAS, justice reinvestment is a data-driven strategy for policy-makers to lower corrections spending, lower recidivism, and improve public safety for citizens; and

WHEREAS, the American Legislative Exchange Council is committed to developing effective criminal justice policies that create safe communities for citizens as well as strong state budgets; and

WHEREAS, state spending on corrections has grown faster than almost any other budget item over the past 20 years, reaching nearly $52 billion dollars; and

WHEREAS, reinvestment policies work by saving money through criminal justice reforms, and reinvesting a portion of those funds into targeted services that reduce recidivism and prevent prison growth; and

WHEREAS, the fastest growing source for prison admissions is people already under correctional control; and

WHEREAS, justice reinvestment has yielded striking successes in Connecticut, Kansas, and Texas, while several other states are working to gather initial data; and

WHEREAS, justice reinvestment has been proven to lower serious crime rates, decrease the prison population, and ultimately save states millions in correctional spending;

Therefore Be It Resolved that [insert state here] supports justice reinvestment policies, and urges policy-makers throughout the nation to implement this proven strategy.

Approved by ALEC Board of Directors on September 20, 2010.

Reapproved by the ALEC Board of Directors on July 1, 2014.

Re-Approved By the ALEC Board of Directors: September 3, 2019

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