Indiana
Videos
December 15, 2010: Governor Daniels and state leaders endorse results of sentencing reform study
June 28, 2010: Governor Daniels announces partnership to improve public safety
Articles
9/16/2011 – Indiana News Center: “Reforming the Probation System,” by Megan Trent
“ALLEN COUNTY, Ind. (Indiana’s NewsCenter) – A new probation program promises to reduce recidivism rates while saving the community money.”
3/26/2011 – Chicago Tribune: “Ind. prosecutors buck effort to trim prison costs,” Charles Wilson
“Angry prosecutors have derailed a legislative plan to reduce Indiana’s corrections costs by shortening some criminal sentences, and now the state seen as a national model for fiscal austerity could be forced to find millions of dollars for new prisons.”
3/1/2011 – The Journal Gazette: “Changes an obstacle to sentencing reform,” Editorial
“Indiana’s prisons are full. More prisoners will require more prisons, at a high one-time cost to build, plus high operating costs every year afterward.”
2/20/2011 – The Journal Gazette: “Scaled-down justice,” by Tracy Warner
“Some cocaine dealers are serving way too much time in Hoosier prisons.”
2/14/2011 – Evansville Courrier and Press: “Gov. Daniels’ sentencing bill tweaked; benefits now unknown,” by Eric Bradner
“Governor had sought savings with diversion of low-level offenders.”
2/10/2011 – The Indianapolis Star: “Keeping folks out of prison could shift cost to counties,” by Carrie Ritchie
“Marion County is worried that legislation proposed to keep Indiana from building more prison cells will instead saddle local taxpayers with extra criminal justice expenses.”
2/09/2011 – The Journal Gazette: “Sentencing shift worries counties,” by Niki Kelly
“INDIANAPOLIS – Criminal justice experts warned Tuesday that a push to reform sentencing in Indiana could result in a flood of new expenses for counties.”
1/20/2011 – The Indianapolis Star: “Don’t let differences disarm reform,”
“If there’s one constituency that should see eye to eye with Gov. Mitch Daniels, Chief Justice Randall Shepard and state Sen. Richard Bray, it’s county prosecutors.”
1/19/2011 – National Review: “The Solution to Indiana’s High Prison Costs,” by Mitch Daniels
“Ordinarily, a kind mention in the New York Times — there have actually been a few, lately — sends me back for a serious rethink of whatever action or stance gave rise to the compliment. But this week’s support for our proposed criminal justice reforms in Indiana will engender no second thoughts, because the Times has it right — we can be a lot smarter about our incarceration policies.”
1/17/2011 – New York Times: “Indiana’s Answer to Prison Costs,”
“The centerpiece of Mr. Daniels’s approach is a set of reforms governing sentencing and parole. Judges would be allowed to fit sentences to crimes and have the flexibility to impose shorter sentences for nonviolent offenses. A poorly structured parole system would be reorganized to focus on offenders who actually present a risk to public safety.”
1/14/2011 – Indianapolis Star: “Fewer prisoners, safer Hoosiers,”
“Indiana for decades has followed a one-way path in pursuit of criminal justice: Lock up more people and for longer sentences, even for nonviolent offenses…If that trend line isn’t changed, Indiana will spend about $1 billon a year on prisons by 2017. For comparison, the annual state budget, for everything from schools to highways, is projected at $13.67 billion for the next fiscal year.”
1/12/2011 – Evansville Courier & Press: “Chief Justice Shepard focuses on sentencing reform in State of the Judiciary speech,”
“INDIANAPOLIS — Nonviolent offenders in Indiana would spend more time in community corrections programs and less time behind bars under criminal sentencing reforms endorsed Wednesday by the state’s Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard.”
1/12/2011 – The Associated Press: “Indiana’s chief justice urges lawmakers to support proposed changes in criminal sentencing,” by Charles Wilson
“INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard is urging lawmakers to support a package of criminal sentencing changes that would give judges more leeway to send less serious offenders to community corrections instead of prison.”
12/20/2010 – The Indianapolis Star: “ Think outside the prison walls,” Editorial
“Gov. Mitch Daniels’ endorsement of proposed corrections reforms should add needed momentum to legislative action that is long overdue.”
12/19/2010 – The Journal Gazette: “ Smarter, not softer, sentences,” Editorial
“For many years, Indiana legislators have consistently demonstrated a toughness on crime, criminalizing more conduct and sentencing offenders to longer prison terms. Now, Gov. Mitch Daniels and state prison officials are joining with judicial advocates to push a different approach.”
12/19/2010 – The Star-Tribune: “ Indiana inmate population up 41 percent since 2000: Wabash Valley officials look at the diagramming of prison sentences,” by Lisa Trigg
“TERRE HAUTE — A person convicted of selling $50 worth of methamphetamine to another Vigo County drug user was sentenced to 24 years in prison earlier this year.”
12/16/2010 – The Courier-Journal: “ Indiana drug, theft sentences would change under bill,” by Lesley Stedman Weidenbener
“INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana would move from a virtual one-size-fits-all sentencing structure for theft and drug crimes to a multi-layered system based on the severity of the offense under legislation that will be introduced in the House and Senate in January.”
12/02/2010 – The News-Sentinel: “ Address prison overcrowding while there’s time: Indiana should learn from the bad example set by California,” Editorial
“One of the benefits of federalism is that states can look to each other both for good practices to copy and for examples of bad government to stay away from. California, which has provided the bad example in so many areas for so many years, is showing Indiana a prison mess to avoid.”
11/30/2010 – The Associated Press: “Ind. lawmakers face choices to rein in prison cost”
“Indiana lawmakers could face a tough political choice next year between spending millions more on overcrowded prisons or reducing prison sentences and being seen as soft on crime.”
11/30/2010 – The Journal Gazette: “Prison costs breaking budget, panel told,” by Niki Kelly
“INDIANAPOLIS – During state budget hearings Monday, Indiana Department of Correction officials targeted lawmakers as the reason for spending and offender population increases.”
06/30/2010 – Indianapolis Recorder: “New study aimed at cutting Indiana prison costs,” By Deanna Martin
“Indiana officials hope a new comprehensive review of the state’s criminal code and sentencing policies will help save taxpayer money and keep former inmates from returning to prison.”
06/29/2010 – Indianapolis Star: “State review of criminal code aims to reduce recidivism,” By Bill Ruthhart
“State leaders will conduct their first comprehensive review since 1976 of Indiana’s criminal code and sentencing policies, Gov. Mitch Daniels announced Monday.”
06/25/2010 – The Journal Gazette: “Too Many Prisoners,” Editorial
“Indiana faces an inevitable decision that is destined to be unpopular: Either put fewer people in prisons or build more of them.”