A lot of national press attention has focused on how the State of California is struggling to find ways to reduce its state prison population and cost, but the issue is not peculiar to California. The Atlanta Journal Constitution in a story written by Bill Rankin reports that, 

Shortening sentences for some nonviolent offenses and creating a statewide network of accountability courts could help prevent Georgia taxpayers from spending more than $250 million to accommodate an expanding prison population, a state panel said. The Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform said changes are needed to control the unimpeded growth in state prison spending, which has doubled over the past two decades to $1.05 billion a year. The panel noted the growth is being fueled by drug and property offenders who account for about 60 percent of all prison admissions.

The council noted more than 3,200 offenders enter prison on a drug possession conviction each year and two-thirds of these inmates have been found to be low risks to offend again.

For that reason, the panel recommended the creation of a statewide system of drug, mental health and veterans’ courts that offer alternatives to incarceration and a more robust supervision of offenders released from custody to reduce recidivism. Some of the cost savings from the reforms can be used to help fund these programs, the report said.

The report can be found at http://www.legis.ga.gov/Documents/GACouncilReport-FINALDRAFT.pdf