Kentucky criminal justice leaders have announced recommendations to curb prison growth and improve public safety.
Governor Matt Bevin created the CJPAC Justice Reinvestment Work Group in September, with 19 members representing diverse perspectives on the criminal justice system.
The group intends to focus prison and jail resources on more serious public safety threats and reduce recidivism. According to Kentucky’s Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, 41% of offenders return to state custody within two years of releases.
The work group said their recommendations would avert 79% of the state’s projected prison growth and save nearly $340 million in corrections costs over the next 10 years. Admissions to Kentucky prisons have increased by 32% from 2012 to 2016. These admissions are driven by the growing numbers of sentences for low-level crimes, in which drug and property offenses make up 65%.
The trend has impacted women with a 54% increase in female admissions over the last five years. Kentucky’s incarceration rate for women is the fifth highest in the nation.
The growth has led to overcrowding in jails and prisons increasing the state spending on corrections by $65 million since 2014. The state now spends $570.5 million a year on corrections.
