NCJ Number
96335
Date Published
1985
Length
4 pages
Annotation
A major overhaul of Delaware's corrections system and the establishment of a more effective sentencing structure is proposed.
Abstract
Delaware has 274 prison inmates for every 100,000 people; these inmates are being put into jail for longer periods under Delaware's relatively inflexible criminal justice system. Prison overcrowding is limiting whatever chances exist to rehabilitate these prisoners, and costs for housing, feeding, and guarding the inmates have risen dramatically. In 1985, Delaware will spend an average of $17,000 per year on each prisoner. Thus, a fundamental reshaping of Delaware's correctional system is required. An alternative sentencing program, developed by the Delaware Sentencing Reform Commission, is being considered. This program stresses accountability of the offender to the victim and the State, and accountability of the corrections system to the public and to other criminal justice agencies. A system built on accountability would structure the movement of offenders into and out of the corrections system, making it fairer and more cost-efficient. The program proposed by the Commission would establish a range of sanctions available to a judge over 10 'levels of accountability,' with Level 1 being unsupervised probation and Level 10 being maximum-security imprisonment. In addition, a program fee concept could be implemented: probationers would be charged between $10 and $50 per month to offset the cost of their supervision. These sentencing reforms should reverse the long-established trend of a growing prison population and skyrocketing corrections budgets. One table and three references are included.