Alabama’s Bill to Reduce Crowding in Prisons Met with Praise, Concerns at Hearing

Alabama’s Bill to Reduce Crowding in Prisons Met with Praise, Concerns at Hearing

Alabama Senator, Cam Ward, has presented a bill to the senate which proposes changes to the prison system that may reduce prison capacities by approximately 33% over the next five years. The public hearing, held on March 4^th, saw a myriad of responses from law enforcement and county commissioners put forward on the possible positive outcomes of this bill in relation to the costs attached to its implementation. A vote was not taken after the hearing, as Sen. Ward acknowledged the concerns pertaining to the costs generated by key components of the bill and has agreed to revise it and present the bill in two weeks to be revisited.

While the bill may have been met with a few concerns, many other areas of government praised the proposal as a solution to the problem of overcrowding in state prisons and criminal facilities. The bill draws heavily on recommendations from the Alabama Prison Reform Task Force. Suggestions include setting up a number of projects within the prison system to prevent prisoner reentry by actively rehabilitating prisoners and giving greater access to substance abuse and lifestyle programs. The hiring of more parole officers and increased funding for local correctional facilities are also a large part of the beginning phases of reforms laid out in the bill. In total, all of the suggested changes would cost the state an estimated $25 million a year.

The bill also proposes, separately, the building of a prison facility over the course of five years that would add 2,000 beds. This facility (which would cost $60 million to build), Ward says, in addition with the proposals stated in the bill could reduce capacity to 138% in five years; this as opposed to the 162% capacity estimated without the building of the facility. Darlene Hutchinson Biehl, an advocate for the victims associated with the prisoners’ crimes, spoke in favor of the passing of the bill, which would mandate that victims be educated concerning their rights and be notified upon an offenders release.

Senator Ward’s proposal also suggests reforms to the sentencing of certain crimes and the reclassification of specific crimes to Class D felonies, which would reduce the likelihood that offenders would be given prison time. However, some of the complaints concerning this bill are aimed towards this same area – the crimes that would be reclassified are property and theft crimes, and some believe that lessening sentences for these crimes may encourage persons to commit them more regularly and raise the rate of occurrence of these crimes.