NCJ Number
134883
Date Published
1991
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This report presents facts regarding crime rates and corrections costs and concludes that increasing the chances that an offender will be imprisoned, reducing prison costs by privatization, and relaxing the laws hampering the productive employment of prisoners will all help reduce crime.
Abstract
The United States has more crime per capita than any other developed country and a crime rate that is far higher than it was in 1960. Most crimes are intentional rather than irrational actions. Therefore, crime will increase if the expected punishment for criminals declines. However, the average sentence served for each act of burglary is only 5.4 days, and perpetrators of serious crimes can expect to spend only about 8 days in prison. The experience of California and Texas shows the importance of punishment. The most promising ways to control prison costs are privatization of the construction and operation of prisons. In addition, several Federal and State laws should be repealed to increase productive work for prisoners. Tables, figures, and 31 footnotes