(South Bend Tribune file photo)
The watchtower and encircling razor wire are seen here in a 2004 photo of Miami Correctional Facility in Bunker Hill, Ind. A proposal to expand prisons here and at Wabash Valley has met with criticism for proponent Gov. Mitch Daniels.
Story Created:
Jan 20, 2009 at 2:59 AM EDT
Story Updated:
Jan 20, 2009 at 2:59 AM EDT
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Faced with tight budgets and prison overcrowding, states across the nation are considering whether to release prisoners early. But in Indiana, the Daniels administration is looking to add space to existing prisons to help keep the growing number of inmates behind bars.
The lean budget proposed by Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels includes just two new building projects over the next two years — expansions of the Miami Correctional Facility near Peru and the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility near Sullivan. Each would be expanded by 600 beds, and the state would make $3 million in bond payments to cover the $40 million in construction.
Daniels says public safety must be one of government's top priorities.
"We are not going to turn felons out of prison early where they can prey on the public," Daniels said. "That's happening in other states, and we're not going to let it happen here."
Democrats who control the House have questioned whether the prison expansions are really necessary, especially since the proposed budget doesn't contain any new money for K-12 education and would make cuts in many state agencies and higher education. Some say the state should be investing in education and alternative sentencing programs that could help people avoid prison in the first place.
"It's the wrong emphasis," said Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary. "We need to rethink what we're doing in this state."
But Daniels administration officials are ready to make their case for the projects.
"They're absolutely necessary," said Department of Correction Commissioner Edwin Buss, who plans to make his pitch to the budget-writing House Ways and Means Committee.
Indiana's prisons are currently at about 99 percent of capacity, according to department officials. The state's prison population of about 27,000 grows by about 4 percent a year, or about 1,000 inmates.
At lower-security prisons, some inmates are already sleeping in triple-stacked bunk beds to save space. Community correction programs and alternative sentencing options such as house arrest can help keep those who have committed minor crimes out of prisons, Buss said.
But those solutions aren't options for the fast-growing segment of inmates who have committed serious crimes or have a long criminal record.
"Our needs are for high-medium and maximum-security offenders," Buss said.
By 2010, the state will be about 2,000 beds short in prisons with higher security levels, Buss said.
The Miami and Wabash Valley prisons both house serious offenders. But even if they were expanded by 1,200 beds, the state would still have more inmates than it can handle. The department may look at turning space such as gymnasiums or other rooms at prisons into housing units.
"We're going to have to be creative," Buss said.
Indiana's growing prison population stems from several factors, Buss said, such as crime rates and mandatory sentencing laws.
The increasing number of prisoners hasn't stopped lawmakers from considering proposals that would keep people behind bars even longer.
In past legislative sessions, Republicans have proposed requiring inmates to serve 85 percent of their sentences, rather than potentially earning a day off for each day of good behavior. Democrats questioned what the cost would be and how much more prison space would be needed, and the proposals didn't pass.
"We continue to want to get tough on crime," said Rep. Dennis Avery, D-Evansville. "It costs money."
Daniels points out that Indiana is better financial shape than many other states, and has not had to turn to drastic measures such as releasing prisoners early. Other states are considering early release or are already implementing such programs.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to eliminate parole for some offenders, divert more petty criminals to county jails and grant early release to more inmates. In Kentucky, even some murderers and other violent offenders are benefiting from a temporary cost-saving program that has granted early release to nearly 2,000 inmates. Virginia and New York are also considering early release programs for thousands of inmates.
Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell temporarily halted the early release of inmates last year after a Philadelphia police officer was killed by a paroled felon during a traffic stop. The state later lifted the moratorium on paroling violent offenders after a consultant concluded the procedures for evaluating and supervising them were largely safe and effective.
Daniels said while outlining his budget proposals this month that the Philadelphia killing was an example of why the state needs to be careful.
"Real human consequences happen if you mishandle the people's money," Daniels said. "This is not about just counting beans."
