The Marion County jail has been facing an all too common problem in America: overcrowding as a result of nonviolent offenders. On occasion, the jail has housed more than 1,600 inmates when, in fact, there is room for only 1,310. \nMarion County Community Corrections offers alternatives to jail through various programs. These programs put less of a financial drain on taxpayers as the daily cost per inmate in a correctional program is $6.35 compared to the $50-a-night rent at the jail. \nJust this month, Community Corrections in Marion County received a great boost to its operations. The state increased the annual budget from $5.4 million to $6.3 million and three new programs have been initiated in the system. \nThe three programs (independent residential program, home detention with curfew program and home incarceration program) coupled with the new budget increase (which expands existing programs) will allow the Corrections division to handle 1,023 additional offenders, bringing the total to almost 2,000. \nThe new programs will have no cost to taxpayers as the inmates themselves will be picking up the tab. In the home detention with curfew program, a potential inmate would have to pay a $75 starting fee and $12 a day thereafter. In a sense, the inmates are paying out of their own pockets in order to avoid jail time. \nReform measures for prison overcrowding are long overdue. The grand nature of the problem has caused many offenders, violent and nonviolent, to be released. Should rapists and thieves be let go simply because there are too many potheads in prison?\nSuch an asinine move is a gross disregard of government principles. The purpose of jail is to guard civilians from violent criminals. Nonviolent offenders, however, pose a significantly smaller threat to society and often require rehabilitation and counseling to better treat their personal behavior problems. Fortunately, the judicial system is starting to wise up.\nState and local governments across the country are realizing that housing nonviolent offenders is not worth the taxpayer burden. On July 1, for example, the state of Washington, through Senate Bill 5990, authorized the early release of about 2,500 nonviolent offenders. The measure will save the state roughly $40 million over the next two years. It is important to realize that these offenders are not getting off scot-free. Rather, many will be serving their full sentence (in alternative programs) and will be paying fees as high as the rental rates on an apartment.\nIn order to legitimately protect the rights, liberties and securities of the public, dangerous people must be kept off the streets. Unclogged jails are imperative to carry out that government responsibility.
-- Vincent Carr for the Editorial Board
