The Washington Post’s Krissah Thomspon reports that, according to the Justice Dept. Bureau of Statistics, nationally the number of people in prison isn’t growing fast and is actually declining in 30 states:

The numbers may reflect the decision by some state governments to cut the high cost of corrections systems. Many are reevaluating their sentencing, parole and drug policies to try to scale back the expense of housing criminals. This fall, lawmakers in Rhode Island passed a law eliminating mandatory minimum drug sentences, and legislators in Massachusetts and Ohio are considering sentencing reforms.

Will Marling, executive director of the National Organization for Victim Assistance, said he is concerned about the change in policy. “The issue for us is that it seems to be an issue of financial expediency rather than a justice issue,” he said. “Ultimately, these decisions were made in a court of law. Hopefully, in view of the law and the crime, these sentences will not simply be nullified out of concerns for space.”

What if Marling’s concerns are on the mark? Would this really be the worst thing in the world? Many prisoners come from disadvantaged backgrounds. If it was financially expedient to send some people to inferior schools or provide them with unsatisfactory public transportation, then maybe financial considerations should be made when locking people up for drug sentences.  I agree that it’s bad policy to release a sentenced offender on account of cost. But for far too long prison spending has been like military spending — it’s been impolitic to discuss cost. It’s encouraging that this seems to be changing, at least at the state government level.

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