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| Kansas Considers Releasing Inmates From Overcrowded Prisons |
| By KMBC |
| Published: 12/20/2002 |
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Prison overcrowding in Kansas may lead to some dramatic changes -- like not sending some convicted felons to prison, KMBC reported Thursday. The Kansas Sentencing Commission told state lawmakers this week to come up with millions of dollars to build more prison space, or to stop sending felons convicted of drug possession to prison. State Sen. David Haley said prison space could better serve violent second- or third-time offenders. 'I think it's time to stop clogging the prisons with the drug users who are not violent,' Haley said. Kansas prisons are about 98 percent full. This is not because of increased crime in the state, but due to the long sentences that are being handed out, Mahoney reported. The state thinks this plan could free up about 400 to 800 prison beds. Drug convicts who were not incarcerated would have to get treatment. This kind of program is already in place in California, Mahoney said, where one of the better known cases involved the drug convictions of actor Robert Downey Jr., who did have to be sent back to jail. Other states are having similar problems. Kentucky freed more than 500 prison inmates Thursday, Mahoney reported, and four other states are doing the same thing. |
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