Arkansas lawmakers are considering how to address prison overcrowding in the state. A legislative committee met Monday to discuss a report which proposes the construction of a 1,000 bed maximum-security prison funded by a 30-year, $231 million “wrap around” bond issue paid for with a $2 increase on car tags.
Committee Chair, Sen. Eddie Joe Williams-Rep. from Cabot, told officials with the Arkansas Department of Correction they need to think about short term strategies to reduce costs and lower recidivism rates.
"There's a plan, but we know how nebulous the plan is once they get out. We're going to turn them lose in June. So if we look back to January or maybe even June the previous year, say we're going to parole you six months early and there's 10 steps you've got to do or you violate your parole, now what does that do? Number one, it lets them succeed or fail in a controlled environment," said Williams.
The report also recommended expanding drug courts and transitional bed programs. The report also proposed re-purposing abandoned school buildings and other unused structures around the state to save costs.
According to Dina Tyler of the Arkansas Department of Community Corrections there are currently 2,473 state prisoners being held in county jails because of overcrowding. She says last year there was a lot of media attention on high numbers of parolees returning to prison. But other figures that show rising incarceration rates in Arkansas that are even more troubling; new commitments last year for increased 13 percent for males and 40 percent for females, she said.
“Now you can't ignore those numbers," said Tyler. "Hopefully this year we'll end up being better. But those are huge. Anytime you see a population growth of above like five percent, you're hurting. And we're hurting a lot,” she added.
Williams said the next step is to write legislation in advance of the start of January’s legislative session.
