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ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Over the last six years, Missouri has evolved into a national model for helping released prisoners re-enter society and not reoffend. The numbers show the success: Missouri today has 700 fewer inmates than its peak population of 30,700 in October 2005. But in the case of nonviolent offenders, the wiser sentence may not be prison at all, but rather probation, restitution, treatment, or other alternatives. That's according to Missouri Supreme Court Judge Michael Wolff who addressed a conference today in St. Louis for the Missouri Department of Corrections. As chair of the Missouri Sentencing Advisory Commission, he led a team that crafted the state's approach to sentencing that took effect in 2005. Wolff says prison teaches offenders to do further crimes. Wolff said sentencing should be no more harsh than warranted, and that community-based sanctions should be preferred over incarceration for nonviolent offenders.
: Michael Brannen
Published: Thursday, June 5, 2008 at 12:54 AM
Last Updated: Thursday, June 5, 2008 at 12:54 AM |
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