Downsizing prisons: how to reduce crime and end mass incarceration

Abstract

"After overseeing New York City's jail system, the largest in the country, Michael Jacobson knows first-hand the inner workings of the corrections system. In Downsizing Prisons, he convincingly argues that mass incarceration will not, as many have claimed, reduce crime nor create more public safety. Simply put, throwing away the key is not the answer. Instead, Jacobson argues that our prison system needs a massive overhaul. Moreover, given the dire budget shortfalls facing most states, there really is no choice: we no longer have the revenue to continue prison expansion while simultaneously supporting education, health care, and lower taxes. Downsizing Prisons examines specific ways that states have begun to transform their prison systems, in particular he focuses on the reforms underway in New York, Louisiana, Connecticut, and California. Jacobson offers practical policy solutions and strategies, such as: changing how parole and probation agencies operate, significantly reducing punitive sentencing and "technical" parole violations, and supporting drug-treatment programs for low-level drug offenders. These policy changes can actually increase public safety as well as save money."--Jacket

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