Arkansas Senate Approves Bill to Overhaul Prisons

Arkansas Senate Approves Bill to Overhaul Prisons

Arkansas senate has unanimously approved a vital section of a bill proposed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson, which aims to rework the state’s current prison system. This bill will allow county jails and facilities to share the responsibility of housing the many inmates who are currently unable to enter the prison facilities due to a lack of space. This bill will also allow courts to suggest alternative sentencing, outside of long-term prison time, in order to reduce the amount of inmates that rotate in and out of the prisons each year.

Hutchinson’s bill, which is backed by his nephew Jeremy Hutchinson, has a budget of $33 million, which the governor hopes can be pulled from resources at the Arkansas Insurance Department and the state’s unclaimed property fund. The acquisition of funds will be addressed in legislation separate from the initial bill, as the approval has not guaranteed the suggested transfer of funds.

The bill authorizes jails around the state that are located on regional facilities to house inmates. In addition, inmates would be eligible to apply for drug/alcohol programs and medical benefits. The approval of this bill follows a $100 million proposal for a new prison, which would have housed 1,000 inmates. Officials claimed that funding for a new prison that would help to limit the overcrowding at the current facilities. The proposal was later abandoned after lack of support from state lawmakers.

While many are in support of this bill and the positive outcomes it promises to bring, others are not yet sold on the effectiveness of the impending implementation. Jeff Rosenzweig, a criminal defense attorney, has openly questioned facets of the bill. Under this new law, residential burglary would be tried in court as a violent crime. Additionally, law enforcement would be allowed to search parolees without the issuance of a warrant or authorization. Rosenzweig is concerned by these sections of the bill and has stated essentially that they negate the positive outcomes of the legislation.

An amendment added by Sen. Joyce Elliot requires only three more appointments to be given by the governor before implementation can take place. Senator Elliot also has her reservations about certain sections of the bill, but has approved of it nonetheless. Jeremy Hutchinson has defended the questioned areas of the bill by agreeing to consider amendment to the areas dealing with law enforcement, yet has stated that due to the amount of residential burglaries committed each year that this section of the bill was requested by the Little Rock mayor.