NCJ Number
137685
Date Published
1991
Length
227 pages
Annotation
Although Minnesota's incarceration rate remains one of the lowest in the country, the State's prisons and jails are full and State and county expenditures for corrections are growing.
Abstract
In 1990 Minnesota State prisons operated at 102 percent of capacity, while local jails operated at 92 percent. The average caseload for each of the State's 600 probation officers was about 98 offenders in 1990. Since 1983, correctional populations in Minnesota have increased 104 percent, while the national increase has been 93 percent. Compared to other States, proportionately more offenders in Minnesota are sanctioned at the local rather than the State level. Factors that contribute to correctional system overcrowding are examined, including population growth and composition, crime incidence and mix, State sentencing policies, judicial sentencing practices, law enforcement practices, pretrial release requirements, and legislative mandates that increase probation workloads. The effect of sentencing guidelines on the use of prisons, jails, and other correctional facilities and programs is discussed, along with sentencing uniformity and proportionality, correctional resource control, and statewide jail standards. The need to establish alternatives to incarceration is stressed, and provisions of the Community Corrections Act of 1973 as implemented in Minnesota are noted. Appendixes provide supplemental information on offense severity, Minnesota Department of Corrections facility improvement priorities, and community corrections programs. Selected program evaluations are also included. 35 tables and 48 figures