http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2010/03/01/budget-plan-includes-dramatic-reduction-in-ahcccs-enrollment/ Your Inside Track to Arizona Politics Tue, 21 May 2013 18:08:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2010/03/01/budget-plan-includes-dramatic-reduction-in-ahcccs-enrollment/comment-page-1/#comment-12287 Donna Leone Hamm Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:17:47 +0000 http://azcapitoltimes.com/?p=21357#comment-12287 It's time for lawmakers to address the need for changes in the criminal code, which affects the budget in numerous ways. By allowing Class 4,5 and 6 felons to earn release credits at one day for every three or four days they spend in prison, rather than the current rate of one day for every seven days of incarceration, they would slowly begin to ease the tension off the bulging prison system and still not compromise public safety. It is much less costly to supervise and rehabilitate criminal offenders while under treatment and supervision in the community, especially if thoughtful consideration is given to the social costs of welfare, ADC and other programs that the families and children of prisoners are forced to rely upon during the incarceration of the bread-winner. Sensible, evidence-based sentencing is not new, except to Arizona. No dramatic changes are required to effect positive changes which not only would save millons of dollars, but would also improve chances for rehabilitation by not exposing offenders to the debilitating effects of the prison environment for extended periods of time for low-level, non-dangerous or non-repetitive offenses. It’s time for lawmakers to address the need for changes in the criminal code, which affects the budget in numerous ways. By allowing Class 4,5 and 6 felons to earn release credits at one day for every three or four days they spend in prison, rather than the current rate of one day for every seven days of incarceration, they would slowly begin to ease the tension off the bulging prison system and still not compromise public safety. It is much less costly to supervise and rehabilitate criminal offenders while under treatment and supervision in the community, especially if thoughtful consideration is given to the social costs of welfare, ADC and other programs that the families and children of prisoners are forced to rely upon during the incarceration of the bread-winner. Sensible, evidence-based sentencing is not new, except to Arizona. No dramatic changes are required to effect positive changes which not only would save millons of dollars, but would also improve chances for rehabilitation by not exposing offenders to the debilitating effects of the prison environment for extended periods of time for low-level, non-dangerous or non-repetitive offenses.

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