Philip Burke Enc 1101 2:00-3:20 Revised Final Research Paper 12/10/06

According to Justin Martin in his article, "Spending Heist," state and federal governments will spend almost $30 billion to incarcerate prisoners annually (Martin). As a result, many communities are slashing vital public services and buckling under tremendous fiscal pressure. Faced with such an enormous burden, however, several innovative programs have gained popularity with prison administrators and taxpayers alike. Electronic monitoring systems, day reporting centers, and drug courts are three effective alternatives to alleviate massive, crippling expenditures.

Fueled by cutting-edge technology, electronic monitoring systems are one very efficient alternative to costly incarceration. Thousands of prisoners are being supervised using this system rather than jail. In their article, "Cheaper Is Better," Ralph Gable and Robert Gable report that 12,000 to 75,000 people are supervised by these programs on a daily basis (Gable and Gable). While this number of diverted prisoners may appear relatively small, communities are experiencing tremendous savings nonetheless. James Anderson points to Lafourche Parish, Louisiana as a perfect example of electronic monitoring's success in his article, "Keeping Watch." By utilizing an electronic system, this Louisiana parish was able to save $165,000 in 2002 alone, Anderson points out (Anderson). Not only used in rural areas, electronic monitoring is being employed in more urban areas than ever before. In his article, "The Cutting Edge," Cecil Greek illustrates how Fresno County, California is reaping fantastic financial rewards. Instead of spending almost $75 per day to house an inmate, the county is using an electronic monitoring system for some offenders (Greek). These savings, as well as those in Louisiana, illustrate how wonderfully successful this alternative program can be. As communities across the country experience similar savings, electronic monitoring programs are sure to explode with popularity.

A second, intensive alternative to incarceration is the use of day reporting centers to assist offenders. The number of these facilities is growing. Patrick Hyde, in his article, "Day Reporting Eases Jail Overcrowding," reports that there are an estimated 4,747 of these facilities across the country. And, he adds, the centers don’t just keep track of the diverted prisoners. They offer counseling services, job training, and substance abuse treatment for enrolled offenders, he explains (Hyde). Increasingly, communities are supporting this dynamic approach to rehabilitation. Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, as Hyde points out, is one town that has drastically diminished its expenditures through this alternative sentencing option. Faced with an overcrowded jail, Hyde asserts, administrators realized that expansion of their existing facilities would be terribly expensive. "When we received construction cost estimates of $30,000 to $50,000 per bed it forced us into adding alternatives to detention," claims Chambersburg Prison Warden John Wetzel whom Hyde quotes in his article. By offering a day reporting center, the jail's overcrowding was greatly diminished and the county saw $10 million in savings, Hyde reports (Hyde). While day reporting centers require a good deal of staffing and much greater involvement than many alternative sentences, they do offer extremely important savings. Both taxpayers and prison administrators can agree that these facilities are an effective, efficient way to divert offenders.

With drug-related offenders severely stretching the capacities of correctional institutions, one more innovative technique has been applied. County-wide drug courts are an invaluable weapon in the war against runaway spending. Instead of allowing the sheer number of alleged drug offenders to paralyze the traditional justice system, these boards process drug cases expeditiously. In their article, "Do Drug Courts Save Jail and Prison Beds?" Reginald Fluellen and Jennifer Trone illustrate the astonishing impact that these new institutions have provided. In a national survey of drug courts, officials claim that each program can save up to $390,000 per year (Fluellen and Trone). With such staggering savings, it is easy to see why drug courts are garnering widespread support. In fact, over 440 such tribunals have been created since 1989, according to Fluellen and Trone. As law enforcement budgets continue to dwindle, the panels become a much more “vital alternative,” they explain. The authors present the court of Denver, Colorado as a model institution that has shown considerable success. According to their findings, this efficient program saves 7 to 15 days of incarceration per offender (Fluellen and Trone). When this average is applied nationally, it is obvious that drug courts can elicit stunningly positive financial results. By processing drug-related offenders with a more streamlined system, strained budgets are sure to see significant relief.

As incarceration levels across the country steadily climb, we should be terribly frightened by the costs associated with this trend. Our tax dollars thrown into new jails and prisons while important educational and social programs have suffered paralyzing budget cutbacks. Recognizing the importance of justice in our society, we do not call for radical changes, simply fiscal streamlining. As this study demonstrates, alternative programs such as electric monitoring, reporting centers, and drug courts can provide unbelievable savings when utilized. With innovation and creativity, our criminal justice system may just become an economic success story.

Works Cited

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Gable, Ralph Kirkland and Robert Gable. "Electronic Monitoring: Positive Intervention Strategies." Federal

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Hyde, Patrick. "Day Reporting Eases Jail Overcrowding." American City & County Apr. 2006: 16-18. Academic

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