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| Gov. Baker Files Bill to Help Reduce Prison Recidivism |
| By usnews.com |
| Published: 03/23/2017 |
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BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Charlie Baker has filed legislation designed to help reduce the number of former inmates who wind up back behind bars. Baker's bill would create a system of earned "good time credits" for inmates who finish recidivism-reduction programs. The credits would be used to reduce the time inmates spend incarcerated and help strengthen services intended to keep them from landing back in jail or prison. The Republican governor said Tuesday that while Massachusetts has a relatively low incarceration rate, two-thirds of those released from houses of correction and half of those released from prison are back in the system within three years. Baker's bill follows the release of a new report from The Council of State Governments Justice Center recommending steps to address the problem, from strengthening programs designed to help former inmates once they're released, to spending more money on substance abuse and work training programs. "The primary focus of this investigation and this effort is around what we can do to help those folks break the cycle," Baker said. "If we do this work and we do it well it will have a very positive impact on those who end up in prison and those who historically in Massachusetts have come back to prison after serving one term and being released." Among those recommendations is an expansion of support programs for those in prison both before and after they're released, a streamlined parole process and a commitment to increased funding for substance use and work training programming and enhanced post-release supervision. Read More. |
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