How a ‘Tough-on-Crime’ State Became Smart on Crime

Kentucky’s overhaul of its criminal justice system this spring is a textbook example of genuine bipartisanship.

For three decades, Kentucky politicians proved they were tough on crime. At every opportunity, they stiffened sentences and added offenses to the state’s penal code.

They nearly bankrupted the state.  Read more...

Michigan's parole policy costs taxpayers $280 million a year

Michigan often keeps inmates long after other states would have released them for similar crimes, driving up prison costs by millions of dollars a year and eating up a quarter of the state's general fund.

In the two years before she left office in December, former Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm encouraged the parole board to be more lenient when it came to releasing prisoners who'd served their minimum sentences.  Read more...

Gov. Christie working to abolish N.J. early release parole program

Declaring he is attempting to protect the public safety of New Jerseyans, Gov. Chris Christie Wednesday vetoed legislation related to the state’s early parole program and restored the state Parole Board’s discretion in deciding who is paroled.

The governor, who wants to abolish mandatory early parole, vetoed legislation that would have made a convict wait 10 years rather than three for a mandatory parole review. He said the legislation does not address the fundamental problems that have stem from statutorily-mandated parole review, including the impact on crime victims and their families and the failure to consider inmates’ rehabilitative progress in granting a parole review.  Read more...