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2010 Press Releases 2009 Press Releases FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 27, 2010 Communities
of color and low-income communities disproportionately affected by the
justice system in the nation's capitol
New report says D.C.
has greatest income inequality of any major city in the country,
suffering from major economic and racial disparities that contribute to
high rates of justice-involvement.
Washington, D.C.—If you are poor or a person of color living in the nation’s capitol, you are more likely to be involved with the justice system, according to a new report released today by the Justice Policy Institute (JPI). A Capitol Concern: The disproportionate impact of the justice system on low-income communities in D.C. examines the connection between poverty and incarceration in the District of Columbia. JPI found that people of color and low-income communities are disproportionately arrested and incarcerated in the District; some Wards of D.C. are particularly affected both by poverty and the justice system; and that programs that help build healthy, safe communities – such as housing, education, and mental health – have seen their funding cut at the same time that funding for law enforcement and the attorney general’s office has increased. JPI will release a national report this fall, which will look more broadly at the issue of incarceration and poverty and what public policies and protective factors can lead to improved community well-being and less justice-involvement. This national report will use the information on the District to illustrate how poverty and incarceration are interrelated in complex ways. Since 2008, spending on the Metropolitan Police Department and the Office of the Attorney General increased more than 2 percent and 11 percent respectively, while funding for schools, mental health services and housing has dropped. Research shows that investing in front-end services and programs that keep people out of the justice system is more effective at improving public safety and promoting community well-being than law enforcement and incarceration. “In an economic downturn like we are currently experiencing, social institutions and supports that improve life outcomes and community health are often the first to get cut, despite what we know about their ability to both improve public safety and help the most vulnerable among us,” stated Tracy Velázquez, executive director of the Justice Policy Institute. “Inasmuch as government priorities are reflected in fiscal decisions, residents of the District should be concerned that officials are increasing spending on law enforcement at a time when crime is down, instead of sustaining people and communities.” The report’s findings include: * Despite an increasing need for affordable and supportive housing for residents during tough economic times, the budget for the District’s Department of Housing was cut more than 30 percent in the last two years, with the Housing Production Trust Fund losing $42 million in 2008 to $18 million in 2010, a cut of more than 50 percent. * D.C. has one of the highest rates of homelessness in the country; estimates of the homeless population range from 12,000 to 17,800 over the course of a year. Forty-seven percent of homeless people in D.C. are “chronically homeless.” * Even though D.C. Public Schools continue to struggle with achieving its goal of providing quality education to every child, spending on education in the District has fallen 17 percent ($170 million) since 2008. Research shows that states that invest more in education have lower crime rates than states that spend less. Wards with the lowest median income and highest percentage of people of color have the lowest math and reading proficiencies and the most people without high school degrees. * Despite a clear need for mental health services, especially for low-income populations and at-risk children and teens, the city continues to cut funding in this area. The D.C. Department of Mental Health’s budget was cut 17 percent from 2008 to 2010. Over 5,000 D.C. children in need of mental health treatment do not receive it. * The Department of Parks and Recreation provides vital youth programming and maintains safe spaces for children to play. Yet funding for the Department of Parks and Recreation fell almost 20 percent from 2008 to 2010. These programs are especially valuable to children and teens whose families cannot afford private camps, classes, or after school programs. "It's sad but not surprising that when we cut funding for affordable housing, and refuse to make investments in needed social services, poverty increases," says Defeat Poverty D.C. campaign director Michael Edwards. "The good news is, we're just weeks away from an election in which our city's leaders have an opportunity to tell us where-- and with whom-- they stand: Will they invest in our children and our future by ending the destructive cycles of poverty once and for all? Or will they stand idly by and do nothing as the number of people who can't put food on their tables or pay their bills goes up?" Additionally, of the District’s eight wards, wards 7 and 5 – those with the highest percentages of people of color and the highest unemployment rates – also saw the highest increase in arrests. Despite a significant decrease in crime in the District, misdemeanor arrests increased by 83 percent, with 81 percent of the arrests being for nonviolent offenses. As most of these arrests occurred in the wards with the lowest average incomes and the highest proportions of people of color, they result in communities of color being disproportionately represented in jails and prisons: while only slightly more than half (54 percent) of the District’s population is African American, 90 percent of the people under the supervision of D.C.’s Department of Correction are African American. African American youth make up 96 percent of those committed to the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services; the other 4 percent were Latino youth. “With these factors in place – lack of employment, lack of housing, low performing schools, and lots of police – these poor communities are caught in a downward spiral,” says Eduardo Ferrer of D.C. Lawyers for Youth. “In order to ensure healthier, safer communities we must invest in people and develop strategies other than incarceration to deter and address anti-social behavior.” For healthier, stronger, and safer communities, the report proposes the following recommendations to improve D.C. policies and practices: Focus law enforcement resources on addressing serious public safety challenges. An end to targeted policing in low-income communities and communities of color, and issuing citations instead of arrests for minor offenses, would help reduce the disproportionate representation of people of color in the criminal justice system, and better utilize public resources. Ensure that all residents have access to quality, affordable housing. As stable, affordable housing is the foundation for education, employment, and access to other social programs and services, people in such living environments are better able to make investments in themselves, their families, and their neighborhoods. Ensure that all children have access to quality public education in their neighborhood. Quality education, especially for students from low-income families, improves public safety and overall prosperity. Create opportunities for all residents to engage in significant employment, and increase job skills through training programs. People with more employment opportunities and earning potential would be better able to make other investments in their communities, their families, and themselves. Ensure that all people have access to health care, mental health care, and substance abuse treatment in their communities. People who are healthy and have access to treatment are less likely to become involved in the justice system and more likely to have an improved quality of life. Create more opportunities for youth to be involved in positive activities during after-school time and throughout the summer. After-school and summer time activities, mentoring programs, and employment increase a youth’s academic, social, and emotional well-being and reduce the risk of involvement in illegal behaviors. Ensure that all community members – especially those living in low-income neighborhoods – have access to affordable public transportation options. Affordable transportation enables people to access jobs and services that may not be available in their community, improving their quality of life and public safety. “It is our hope that this brief encourages conversations between policymakers, community members and advocates,” said Velázquez. “Everyone in D.C. has a stake in reducing both poverty and justice-involvement for those who live here, and improving community well-being in every Ward of the District.” For additional information, please contact LaWanda Johnson at (202) 558-7974 x308 or ljohnson@justicepolicy.org, or Adam Ratliff at (202) 558-7974 x 306, aratliff@justicepolicy.org. For more on JPI’s research, please visit our website at www.justicepolicy.org. The Justice Policy Institute (JPI) is a Washington, D.C.-based organization dedicated to reducing society’s use of incarceration and promoting just and effective social policies. ###
Most
Justice-Involved Youth Affected by Traumatic Childhood Experiences
As many as 9 in 10 youth in justice system have experienced a traumatic event, yet few such youth are identified as traumatized, and fewer receive appropriate treatment or placement Washington DC - The Justice Policy Institute (JPI) released a brief today examining the relationship between childhood trauma and justice system involvement for youth. According to Healing Invisible Wounds: Why Investing in Trauma-Informed Care for Children Makes Sense, of the more than 93,000 children that are currently incarcerated in the United States, between 75 and 93 percent have experienced at least one traumatic experience, including sexual abuse, war, community violence, neglect and maltreatment. Research points to long term effects of childhood trauma, including emotional problems and negative impacts on youth brain development. The brief notes that while holding youth who engage in delinquent behavior accountable is important, it is critical that trauma exposure be considered in placement decisions, as youth who receive treatment in the community have better outcomes than those placed in correctional facilities. “Incarcerated youth already face significant challenges, but youth who have experienced trauma are even more acutely affected,” said author Erica Adams, M.D. “Addressing a child’s trauma through the public health system before that child becomes involved with the justice system is critical to promoting the well-being of the child, the family and ultimately, the community.” Researchers found that youth who suffer trauma are more likely to develop life-long psychiatric conditions, including personality disorders, conduct disorder, ADHD, depression, anxiety, substance abuse disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Traumatized youth can experience developmental delays, decreased cognitive abilities, learning disabilities and even lower IQ levels, with school problems including school dropout and expulsion rates at nearly three times that of their peers who had not experienced trauma. “We simply cannot afford to ignore the evidence and prevalence of the long-term effects of untreated childhood trauma,” says Tracy Velázquez, executive director of the Justice Policy Institute. “If we are to have strong healthy communities, then we must start with these children whose unseen and untreated wounds hinder their ability to become healthy, productive adults.” Velázquez will be sharing the findings of Healing Invisiblen Wounds next week at the National Juvenile Justice Network’s eighth annual forum in New Orleans, Louisiana. As detailed in the research brief, currently the justice system does not meet the needs of traumatized youth and may increase trauma through its use of incarceration. Thousands of youth are incarcerated each year, and few are screened for trauma-related symptoms or provided trauma-informed care. In one study, 84 percent of agencies reported either no or extremely limited information provided on the youth’s trauma history, and 33 percent of the agencies reported not training staff to assess for trauma at all. Although 60 percent of states surveyed report using universal or selective trauma screenings, the scope is often limited, and fewer than 20 percent of states provide evidence-based or otherwise standardized assessment tools. According to Adams, this may be because trauma often resembles delinquent behavior. “Although it may be difficult initially to identify the role trauma has played, the most effective and appropriate response to traumatized youth, in or out of the system, is one of treatment and support,” says Adams. “Yet, once these children enter the justice system, quality, evidence-based, trauma-informed treatments and interventions are currently almost non-existent.” Experts advocating for system reforms that address the unique needs of trauma-affected children say that long-term strategies to treat rather than incarcerate are needed to curb the cycle of justice system involvement at its source, and that these programs should be supported at federal and state levels. Based largely on the collaborative work of researchers, clinicians and members of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), JPI makes the following recommendations for child-serving systems, law enforcement, judges and entire judicial systems to better recognize and treat trauma in children. The following policies outline steps towards a trauma-informed system.
To read the full brief click the link Healing Invisible Wounds: Why Investing in Trauma-Informed Care for Children Makes Sense. For additional information, please contact LaWanda Johnson at (202) 558-7974 x308 or ljohnson@justicepolicy.org. For more on JPI’s research, please visit our website at www.justicepolicy.org. The Justice Policy Institute (JPI) is a Washington, D.C.-based organization dedicated to reducing society’s use of incarceration and promoting just and effective social policies. ###
California’s
Prison
Reduction
Plan
Will
Overburden
Counties;
Misses the Mark Shifting prison population to jails will increase costs and incarceration rates WASHINGTON DC – The Justice Policy
Institute (JPI) released a fact sheet today laying out reasons why the
proposed California Community Corrections Act of 2010 is misguided and
deeply flawed. The bill would move people serving sentences of less
than three years from state prisons to already crowded county jails,
shifting the costs to local counties that are already facing budget
shortfalls. The grant funding available to counties for this move would
not cover the costs of increased incarceration, but may create
incentives for counties to incarcerate more people rather than to
utilize alternatives to incarceration, like probation, since funding is
based on the number of people held for the state.
JPI’s fact sheet, Shifting the Problem, notes that, on the heels of a recent court order to reduce the number of people in prison by 40,000, the state is moving in the right direction by examining different ways to reduce its prison population. This proposed legislation, however, would do more harm than good, and is not a solution to the continuing problem of over-incarceration in California; the state’s prison growth even outpaces its population growth. “California’s prisons and jails are already beyond capacity; many of those warehoused are people who are not violent and should be returned to their communities, not moved to another jurisdiction,” said Tracy Velázquez, executive director of JPI. “Counties will bear the burden as people are sent to local jails for years.” Velázquez added, “The current budget situation calls for smart fiscal choices; the state would be wiser to invest in more cost-effective alternatives to incarceration that support people in their communities.” The factsheet calls for increasing access to parole, including medical parole for those with physical or mental health conditions, improving parole practices so fewer people are returned to prison and increasing access to treatment. To read the full fact sheet, Shifting the Problem, CLICK HERE. For a more information, please visit our website at www.justicepolicy.org. The Justice Policy Institute (JPI) is a Washington, D.C.-based organization dedicated to reducing society’s use of incarceration and promoting just and effective social policies. ### FOR
IMMEDIATE
RELEASE:
June
23,
2010 Overall
number of people in state prisons drops for first time since 1972
However, feds and half of states see prison populations continue to climb (Note: Download the full PDF version of this fact sheet release to view a state by state table showing the number of people in prison from 2000-2009.) For the first time since 1972, the number of people in state prisons fell. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), state prison populations decreased by nearly 3,000 people between 2008 and 2009. The Justice Policy Institute (JPI), a non-profit research and policy organization dedicated to reducing society’s reliance on incarceration, believes that while this is a move in the right direction, an overall increase in the number of people in prison over the past year, and the fact that half the states continue to increase their prison populations, means we still have a long way to go. “The economic downturn has made both policymakers and taxpayers more aware of the financial price of incarceration,” stated Tracy Velázquez, executive director of JPI. “We hope that as the economy improves, we will see states continue to use smart, effective public safety strategies that reduce the unnecessary warehousing of millions of people in prisons and jails.” JPI’s analysis of the BJS data also revealed that only six states reduced their prison populations since 2000: New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Michigan, Delaware and Illinois. Velázquez noted that a number of these states have been engaged in justice reforms that focus on reducing incarceration rates. “New York’s revision of the Rockefeller drug laws, New Jersey’s focus on reducing returns to prison for parole violations and its increase in treatment and diversion, Maryland’s improved use of evidence-based practices such as risk assessments and Michigan’s reforms to parole and investments in re-entry all demonstrate that intentional efforts to create smart policy, improve outcomes and reduce incarceration pay off,” stated Velázquez. “These sustained reductions are not a matter of chance.” [ Full PDF
version includes table showing state by state number of people in
prison, 2000-2009.]
JPI recently released a number of briefs providing guidance to policymakers on how to continue to lower incarceration rates in ways that protect public safety. For Immediate Release, The Costs of Confinement, Pruning Prisons and other relevant reports can be found at www.justicepolicy.org. Source: Heather C. West, Prisoners at Yearend 2009–Advance Counts, Appendix Table 1. (Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2010) http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/py09ac.pdf The Justice Policy Institute (JPI) is a Washington, D.C.-based organization dedicated to reducing society’s use of incarceration and promoting just and effective social policies. ### FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE: June 8, 2010 New Report
Examines Factors Driving Overcrowding of the Baltimore Jail WASHINGTON DC - The number of people in Baltimore’s overcrowded jail can be reduced – saving millions of state dollars – by changing policing practices, reforming court processes and improving jail and post-jail services, according to a research report released today by the Justice Policy Institute (JPI). Baltimore Behind Bars: How to Reduce the Jail Population, Save Money and Improve Public Safety details Baltimore’s complex system of city policing practices and court and bail processes that contribute to a high percentage of city residents being detained in the jail, often unnecessarily. The report also finds that the courts are clogged with too many cases, which further contributes to people being held pre-trial for extended periods of time. “We chose to focus on the Baltimore jail because jails are ripe for reforms that until recently have focused on prisons,” said Tracy Velázquez, executive director of JPI. “The Baltimore jail holds the distinction of being among the largest and oldest jails in the country, and it incarcerates the highest percentage of the City’s population when compared to other large jails. In many ways jails are like the canary in the coal mine, with bloated populations being symptomatic of larger systemic problems.” Baltimore Behind Bars details how more than half of people arrested in Baltimore are locked up in the jail to await trial, with more than half of those in jail not being offered bail. In all, nine out of 10 people in the jail are awaiting trial and have not been found guilty of the current offense – far higher than the national average of two-thirds. Most people are being charged with nonviolent offenses such as drug and property offenses and violations of probation. Additionally, African Americans are overrepresented at the jail, comprising about 66 percent of the general population of Baltimore, but 94 percent of the people in the jail. The State of Maryland, which owns and operates the jail complex, is currently planning two new jail facilities in Baltimore -- one for youth being tried as adults and another for women-- at an estimated cost of $280 million. The report notes that while these facilities will be an improvement over aging facilities, they may needlessly increase the number of people incarcerated in the jail. Increasing the number of jail beds, and improving facilities, may create a disincentive to finding effective alternatives to pretrial detention, leading to more people in jail instead of less. “The idea that arresting and incarcerating more people means less crime is a myth,” noted Nastassia Walsh, research associate at JPI and author of the report. “The last thing Baltimore needs is more jail beds. It is vital to the well-being of the city that the current jail population be reduced and that effective alternatives be considered.” The report recommends that by implementing effective solutions to reduce the number of people in the current jail, money could be re-directed toward services like education, employment support and treatment. These services should be available for people before they come into contact with the justice system as well as for those re-entering their communities after being released from the jail. “The need for change is clear,” added Velázquez. “Communities can’t solve social problems by locking up more of their residents. It’s time for all stakeholders to collaborate on solutions.” "The decision to build more jails in this city without first taking steps to reduce the current jail population is wrong-headed,” added Monique Dixon, Director of the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Program of the Open Society Institute–Baltimore, a private foundation which supported the research that led to the report. “Creating policies to release people appropriately while they are awaiting their trials would not only save money, but also allow Baltimore residents to continue working and supporting their families while their legal matters are resolved. Other states have taken this approach, and Baltimore should too.” The Justice Policy Institute recommends the following changes, among many recommendations, to improve the pre-trial detention process and reduce the Baltimore jail population:
To read the Executive Summary and the full report of Baltimore Behind Bars CLICK HERE. For additional information, please contact Adam Ratliff at (202) 558-7974 x306 or aratliff@justicepolicy.org. For a more JPI reports on the Baltimore and Maryland criminal justice systems, please visit our website at www.justicepolicy.org. The Justice Policy Institute (JPI) is a Washington, D.C.-based organization dedicated to reducing society’s use of incarceration and promoting just and effective social policies. ### FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June
2, 2010 States can safely
reduce prison populations and save money, new brief says WASHINGTON, D.C. — States should use innovative and evidence-based strategies to trim their prison populations, reduce the likelihood that a released person will return to prison and send fewer people to prison in the first place according to research released today by the Justice Policy Institute (JPI). With many states facing budget crises, important decisions are being made about where money will and will not be spent. JPI found that increasing opportunities for parole and improving parole release decisions, improving parole supervision and ensuring access to support and treatment services are cost-effective means of cutting extraneous spending while maintaining public safety. In FY2008, states spent $52 billion on corrections, money that could be spent on infrastructure, education, housing and job creation, the group says. “Increasing the availability of parole and making better decisions about who is released is smart policy,” said Tracy Velázquez, executive director of JPI. “Options such as medical parole and geriatric release would yield tremendous monetary benefits, ensure people receive the services they need and would not be a detriment to public safety. States could in turn refocus savings toward crucial social services to help prevent people from entering prison in the first place.” According to For Immediate Release: How to Safely Reduce Prison Populations and Support People Returning to Their Communities, released today by JPI, incarceration costs significantly less than parole supervision and some states are using innovative methods of supervision that are yielding positive results. As spending more time in prison does not equate to more public safety, releasing people early with appropriate supervision can be an effective way of reducing prison populations. Velázquez added, “The notion that there is a public safety trade-off when shifting public dollars from prisons to positive, pro-social investments is false and has contributed to destructive policies that have given the United States the world’s largest incarceration rate and continue to disproportionately impact communities of color. Releasing people deemed ‘low risk’ to community supervision and providing adequate treatment and support services will improve outcomes and strengthen families and communities.” The Justice Policy Institute (JPI) is a Washington, D.C.-based organization dedicated to reducing society’s use of incarceration and promoting just and effective social policies. To read JPI’s report, “For Immediate Release” CLICK HERE. For other analysis on safe, effective means of saving money and ensuring public safety, please visit our website at www.justicepolicy.org. ### FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 24,
2010 Crime report shows crime fell in 2009 as prison growth rates decreased Drop in crime comes as states seek ways to reduce prison populations and improve savings for state budgets WASHINGTON, D.C.-Reported violent crime in the United States fell by 5.5 percent and property crime by 4.9 percent in 2009, according to an analysis released today by the Justice Policy Institute (JPI). The analysis, which was based on the FBI's Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report, released earlier today, also found that this drop in crime coincided with decreasing use of prisons from previous years. This corresponds with a national trend of states seeking ways to curtail corrections spending in light of the economic downturn. JPI applauded the news, saying it highlights that states can save money, promote alternatives to incarceration and still maintain public safety. "Increased incarceration does not increase public safety," said Tracy Velázquez, executive director of the Justice Policy Institute. "The FBI's report shows that we can improve public safety and put fewer people in prisons, which means savings for taxpayers in addition to stronger communities. Investments in jobs, education and treatment are areas where states should focus their dollars, as all of these will help reduce crime more effectively and fairly than building more prisons." According to the analysis, the 2009 drop in crime came at a time when the prison growth rates fell from previous years. While the number of people in prison is still growing, it is at a slower rate than the last few decades."Contrary to the conventional wisdom that locking people up makes communities safer, the data is clearly showing that crime is going down as fewer people are being put in prison," Velázquez added. "Rather than spending more money unnecessarily on policing and incarceration, we recommend that states increase their investments in people and communities, rather than prisons, as a better way of ensuring that public safety continues to improve." The Justice Policy Institute (JPI) is a Washington, D.C.-based organization dedicated to reducing society's use of incarceration and promoting just and effective social policies. For a more in-depth analysis of crime trends, and information on effective public safety practices, please visit our website at www.justicepolicy.org. ### FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 22, 2010 Group Criticizes Obama
Administration’s Budget Plan Justice advocates disturbed by proposed $29 billion for ineffective and unfair policies Washington, D.C. – The Justice Policy Institute (JPI) released a factsheet today challenging the Obama administration’s proposed Fiscal Year 2011 Department of Justice budget . The Administration is asking for $29.2 billion, which includes more funding for law enforcement and prisons, and reductions in spending on juvenile justice programs that have been proven to be effective at getting youth back on track for positive life outcomes. “The Administration’s rationale for dumping more money into COPS (the federal Community Oriented Policing Services program) is that we need more police while the economy improves in order to prevent crime,” stated Tracy Velázquez, executive director of JPI. “That doesn’t pass the smell test. Crime rates have been falling for the last few years and we’ve already put a billion stimulus dollars into more policing last year. If the Administration wants to buy jobs that will improve public safety, they should put that $600 million into struggling communities, schools, treatment, and social services.” Velázquez also noted that the proposed
budget will likely result in increased incarceration costs for states,
with only marginal public safety benefits. This is at a time when
financially-strapped states are trying to downsize prisons through such
mechanisms as greater use of community supervision and more diversion
programs. While Velázquez praised funding for the Second Chance
Act, which helps formerly-incarcerated people with their transition
back to the community, she added, “More money should be focused on
programs that help to keep people out of the criminal and juvenile
justice systems in the first place.” These alternatives include
community-based prevention and early intervention programs for youth,
education and employment training, and substance abuse and mental
health treatment services. • Byrne Justice Assistance Grants: JPI found that while the $500+ million proposed for this program can be used for prevention and education, in reality most money goes to law enforcement. Research has shown that increased law enforcement results in the least-effective solution—higher drug imprisonment rates—while this money could be more effectively spent on community drug treatment. • Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Funding: The Administration is requesting $600 million in hiring and retention grants for police officers, purportedly anticipating a rise in crime as the economy recovers. Such increased policing is likely to have a concentrated impact on communities of color, who are already disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system. JPI suggests this money would be better spent on creating jobs, housing, and treatment programs for increased public safety. • Juvenile Justice Programs: Funding for essential juvenile justice programs has been declining for years, and the Administration is proposing a $133 million decrease this year. Evidence shows that youth who spend time incarcerated have decreased educational and employment opportunities. Currently, there are more than 90,000 youth imprisoned in the United States. Investments in prevention programs, by contrast, are associated with improved public safety and better life outcomes for youth. “At a time when the Administration can’t seem to find the time to hire someone to run the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention,” stated Velázquez, “this lack of commitment to funding core programs that protect and help youth is discomfiting.” • Drug Courts: JPI commends the federal government’s interest in pursuing treatment as an option for people with substance abuse problems as an alternative to incarceration. However, drug courts, and the criminal justice system generally, can’t and shouldn’t be used as a substitute for community-based treatment services through the public health system, where it is most effective and appropriate. • Adam Walsh Act: Having failed to bully states with threats of funding cuts if they fail to comply with the Adam Walsh Act, the federal government is adding a “carrot” to the “stick”: $20 million to help states implement the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). A number of reports have found little correlation between the use of sex offender registries and keeping children safe. In addition, broad compliance with SORNA will increase the number of people who cannot meet their basic needs (housing, employment), which is a major risk factor for recidivism. Especially hard-hit are youth on registries that may be barred from pro-social activities that can have a positive impact on improving their lives and on public safety. • Increased Funding for Prisons: Increased funding for prison beds will likely lead to higher prison populations and expenses without significantly improving public safety. In fact, most states are reducing prison populations due to the current economic crisis and are seeking more effective solutions. “While I hesitate to grade the Administration,” concluded Velázquez, “we certainly were optimistic that it would use the research that groups like JPI have done over the years in developing its justice budget. We hope the Administration will more seriously engage the reform community in the budget process in the future so that budgets and policies will be prioritized to one day allow the United States – land of the free—to leave behind the shameful moniker of being the world’s largest jailor.” Read JPI’s factsheet: The Obama Administration’s 2011 Budget: More Policing, Prisons, and Punitive Policies. The Justice Policy Institute (JPI) is a Washington, D.C.-based research and policy organization that promotes fair and rational justice policies. For more information, please visit www.justicepolicy.org ### MEDIA ADVISORY National Experts and
Maryland Groups to Testify Against Registries and other proposed policies do little to increase public safety, speakers to say Annapolis, MD – Representatives from the Justice Policy Institute (JPI); American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Maryland; the Maryland Office of the Public Defender; the National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN), the Defender Association of Philadelphia and the Office of the Ohio Public Defender will testify Tuesday, February 23 before the Judicial Committee of the Maryland Assembly, as the Committee considers a host of bills aimed at increasing penalties and post-incarceration requirements for people convicted of sex offenses. In particular, some bills will expand Maryland’s sex offender registries to come into compliance with the controversial federal Adam Walsh Act, which requires states to include many youth on registries. Other bills would limit employment, living, civic and other opportunities for people who have been convicted of a registerable offense. WHAT: Hearing by the Judicial Committee of the Maryland Assembly on numerous bills related to sex offenses WHO: Various experts on sex offense policies and Maryland advocates, including:
WHEN: 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 23, 2010 WHERE: Maryland House of Delegates, Judiciary Committee Room, Six Bladen Street, Annapolis, MD ADDITIONAL DETAILS: For more information, please contact LaWanda Johnson, (202) 558-7974 ext 308/ ljohnson@justicepolicy.org, or Adam Ratliff, (202) 558-7974 ext. 300 / aratliff@justicepolicy.org. “Expanding registries, particularly through the inclusion of youth, does little to make our communities safer, while straining state budgets and law enforcement resources,” said Tracy Velázquez, executive director of JPI. “In fact, by making it harder for people to live successfully in the community, we are increasing the chance of recidivism. For youth especially, registration causes a lifetime of stigma that is very difficult to overcome.” JPI’s report, Registering Harm: How Sex Offense Registries Fail Youth Communities, details the negative consequences of sex offense registries and presents policies that do improve public safety; it is available at www.justicepolicy.org. ### FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, December 14, 2009 Analysis: U.S. incarceration continues to grow and racial disparities persist WASHINGTON, D.C. - Although the growth of imprisonment was
down in 2008, the number of incarcerated people is still on the rise,
according to an analysis
released
today by the Justice Policy Institute (JPI). The analysis,
which is based on the Department of Justice (DOJ) Bureau of Justice
Statistics report released this week, found that 12,000 more people
were incarcerated in 2008 than in the previous year, with more than 1.6
million people currently incarcerated in a federal or state prison in
the United States. The number of people in prison continues to increase
even as crime goes down, and in spite of evidence of its
ineffectiveness as a public safety strategy. As states continue to
grapple with budget crises, JPI says it is time for policymakers to
step up their use of cost-effective alternatives to incarceration. ### FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE: Tuesday, October 8, 2009 12:01 am Statement from the Justice Policy
Institute on Healthcare Reform: Washington, DC--In an opinion editorial just published in the Washington Post, the Justice Policy Institute’s Executive Director, Tracy Velázquez, says as Congress debates the costs of reforming our health-care system, it should consider one significant collateral cost of not acting: maintaining the world's highest rate of incarceration. Every year, thousands of people are locked up in U.S. prisons and jails because they do not have access to health care to treat mental illness and drug addiction. People with mental illnesses often end up in prisons, jails and juvenile facilities when they are unable to access treatment in their communities. According to the Department of Justice, one in four people in state prisons experienced mental health issues in the year preceding incarceration, and nearly two-thirds of people in local jails live with mental illness. Over half of people in state prisons meet the criteria for drug dependence or abuse. Parents of children with serious emotional disturbances who are uninsured or under-insured sometimes turn their own children in to the police, because their kids will get at least a minimum of treatment in the juvenile justice system. Prisons, jails and juvenile facilities are now some of the largest providers of mental health services in the country. Velazquez authored the piece because U.S. data shows that inability to afford treatment is the main reason people give for not getting the care they need. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicated that 37.4 percent of people who sought substance abuse treatment indicated they didn’t receive it because they had no health coverage and couldn’t afford the cost of treatment. The same survey also reported that 42 percent of those who needed mental health treatment but didn’t get it said the primary reason was that they couldn’t afford it. Underinsurance is also a problem: 34 percent of insured people who had unmet mental health needs indicated that cost was a barrier to seeking treatment. “And this survey, which relies on voluntary phone interviews, likely underestimates the problem,” added Velazquez. “Americans understand that health care reform must include mental health and substance abuse treatment,” said Velazquez. She cited a recent national poll commissioned by the Open Society Institute that found that more than three-quarters of Americans (77 percent) support including addiction treatment in health reform. “If through improved access to health care we were to reduce our nation's incarceration rate by just 10 percent,” concluded Velazquez, “the country could save roughly $5.5 billion in incarceration costs annually. And this doesn't include the savings in courts, police, parole and other related costs of incarceration. “If Congress fails to pass health care reform legislation which ensures that people, regardless of income, have the ability to obtain the mental health and substance abuse treatment they need, we will have missed out on an opportunity to both keep thousands of children and adults from becoming incarcerated, and to help those who have been incarcerated to be productive and healthy members of society. And that would be a real shame.” ### FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE: Tuesday, Septermber 15, 2009 12:01 am Crime report shows violent crime fell in 2008 as incarceration rates continue to decrease WASHINGTON, D.C.—Violent crime in the United States fell by 1.9 percent and property crimes by 0.8 percent in 2008, according to an analysis released today by the Justice Policy Institute. The analysis, which was based on the full 2008 FBI Uniform Crime Report, which was released this week, also found that this drop in crime coincided with a drop in incarceration from previous years. The Justice Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C. based think tank, hailed the news, saying it bolsters the case for a connection between effective alternatives to incarceration and public safety. “Reducing incarceration rates is not only fiscally responsible, it is also the humane thing to do,” said Tracy Velázquez, executive director of the Justice Policy Institute. “This week’s report shows that we can preserve public safety while expanding the use of community supervision and improving the systems that help people be successful, including treatment, housing, and job services.” According to the analysis, the number of violent crimes fell in three of the four regions of the country. The number of property crimes fell in two of the four regions of the country; both the Northeastern and Southern regions experienced an increase of less than 3 percent in the number of property crimes. While jails and prison populations continue to grow, the growth rate slowed in 2008, coinciding with the drop in crime. From 2007-2008, violent crime fell 1.9 percent while the growth rates of prisons and jails slowed, suggesting that lowering the number of people incarcerated can be an effective way to increase public safety. From 2005-2006, violent crime had increased slightly (1.9 percent), while prison and jail populations also grew (by 2 and 2.5 percent, respectively). However, as the growth rate of prisons and jails has slowed, the violent crime rate declined as well, down 1.4 percent from 2006 to 2007. “This data also confirms that increasing incarceration does not necessarily mean improvements in public safety. We should not starve our education and human service budgets to grow jails and prisons,”Velázquez added. “Focusing on increasing investments in people and communities is what will ensure that these crime numbers continue to drop.” The Justice Policy Institute (JPI), a Washington, D.C.-based policy group that promotes fair and rational justice policies, cautions that no single factor can explain changes in crime across the nation, or within a jurisdiction. We have assembled key findings from these new crime and prison surveys to put the new figures in their appropriate context. For a more in-depth analysis of crime trends, and
information on effective public safety practices, please visit our
website at www.justicepolicy.org. ### FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 12:01 am New reports highlight economic benefits
of alternatives to incarceration; WASHINGTON--States could improve public safety and save millions of dollars by investing in community-based alternatives, according to two new research briefs released today by the Justice Policy Institute (JPI). With states facing serious budgetary constraints, these reports offer policymakers more effective juvenile and criminal justice frameworks to guide them in making difficult budget decisions. "There's no magic formula for saving money and protecting public safety," said Tracy Velázquez, executive director of JPI. "Rather, policymakers can use the tools we already have and reduce correctional populations through incremental changes based on existing, evidence-based strategies. Expanding access to treatment, improving parole policies and practices, and reducing the number of nonviolent youth and adults that are incarcerated can help states cut costs in the short-term, and also increase the long-term economic productivity and health of communities." The Costs of Confinement: Why Good Juvenile Justice Policies Make Good Fiscal Sense finds that states spend about $5.7 billion each year imprisoning youth, even though the majority are held for nonviolent offenses. The brief concludes that most youth could be managed safely in the community through alternatives that cost substantially less than incarceration and could lower recidivism by up to 22 percent. These alternatives are also more cost-effective in reducing crime than incarceration, yielding up to $13 in benefits for every dollar spent. According to Pruning Prisons: How Cutting Corrections Can Save Money and Protect Public Safety, similar benefits can be found in the adult system through investments in treatment and parole services. States could save a combined $4.1 billion by increasing the availability of parole by shifting 10 percent of the prison population into the parole system, and improving parole support and services so that fewer people are returned to prison for technical (rule) violations. Additionally, the report finds that community-based drug treatment provides bigger crime reduction returns than prison--for every dollar spent on drug treatment in the community, the state receives $18 in benefits. "For several decades, policymakers have tried to spend their way to public safety via 'cops, courts and corrections.' This strategy has made the United States the leader in imprisoning its residents, and has failed as a public safety approach. Without a change in direction states could end up spending more than $50 billion on corrections by 2010," said Velázquez. "These reports inform policymakers that there are better options for improving public safety - options that build stronger, healthier communities instead of more prison cells." The Justice Policy Institute recommends the following changes to improve public safety and save money: • States and the federal government should re-examine
policies that drive increases in incarceration, such as recommitment
for technical violations of parole conditions, and incarceration for
low-level drug offenses and many nonviolent offenses.
Non-incarcerative, community-based alternatives should be explored. Invest in intermediate interventions, not secure facilities
that don't improve public safety and interfere with youth development
and the chances of future success. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Parole reforms in
Maryland could save millions “At a time of budget cuts and financial crises, it is important to note that, if used correctly, parole can reduce spending without compromising public safety,” said Tracy Velázquez, executive director of the Justice Policy Institute. According to the report, the state has made real progress in its efforts to increase drug treatment and change some parole practices. Maryland already uses effective programs like diminution, or “good-time,” credits to allow people in prison to earn earlier parole and has a policy for medical parole, but these and other proven initiatives are not being used to the fullest extent possible. Research shows that the state could expand the use of risk assessment instruments to determine those people in prison who could be placed on community supervision; since most people “age out” of crime, moving older people from prison to parole could safely result in significant savings. For example, by placing even half of the roughly 465 people in Maryland’s prisons that are over the age of 60 on parole, the state could save over $13 million in the first year. “People can change, and that when they do, they should be given a chance to be productive members of society,” stated Walter M. Lomax, director of the Maryland Restorative Justice Initiative, which advocates for humane and sensible criminal justice and sentencing policies for individuals who are incarcerated long term in Maryland prisons. “These policies keep many people in prison, primarily African Americans, who simply do not pose a threat to society. This report is not advocating that Maryland be ‘soft on crime;’ it’s saying that Maryland can save money and do the right thing for people, their families, and their communities.” The report also found that programs that emphasize support and service over a strict supervision modality are more effective, lowering recidivism rates for individuals in the project. Maryland’s Proactive Community Supervision project (PCS), in particular, provides tailored supervision to those in the program and participants have had fewer rearrests or drug test failures than those not in the program. Research indicates that PCS is significantly more likely to keep people out of prison than people who are released under traditional parole terms; however, to date, the state has only used PCS on a very limited basis. Bringing PCS to scale in the entire state would reducing the number of people returning to prison from parole, resulting in a potential savings of approximately $19 million, which includes the cost of enrolling everyone on probation or parole in PCS. This state-specific report echoes many of the findings for the recently released “One in 31: The Long Reach of American Corrections” by the Pew Center on the States. This report indicated that 8.2% of Maryland’s general fund is spent on corrections, higher than any of its neighboring states of Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware or Pennsylvania. “Clearly, community corrections is an important issue right now on a national level,” added Velázquez. “Maryland has an opportunity to expand on some of their early parole reform efforts and become a leader in this area.” Other key recommendations of the report include: Increase utilization of a risk assessment instrument: Maryland uses risk assessments in some of their decision-making processes. However, increased use for medical parole, paroling older people in prison, and discharging people from probation or parole may increase availability and lower the number of people on supervision. Make parole services more accessible: Parole offices are often far from the homes of the people who have to check in. Not only does it become a challenge for people on parole to successfully make every appointment, the parole officers are not familiar with the particular assets, challenges, and culture of the communities in which individuals reside. Match supervision with needs and risks: Currently, many parole officers meet with the individuals who are facing significant obstacles to re-entry for relatively infrequently and short amounts of time. Conversely, people who are successful on parole should be able to get on with their lives. Reporting for parole should be retooled so that there is more “quality time” for people who will benefit from it, and less unnecessary “face time” for those who don’t. Institute early release for parole: Research shows that people who haven’t violated their conditions of parole for a long period of time are unlikely to commit new crimes. People on parole therefore should be able to shave time off their period of parole through good behavior and participation in education, employment, or other services. Not only would this system serve as an incentive, it would also reduce the amount of time that a person is under supervision, thus lowering costs and opportunities for a person to return to prison on a technical violation. Involve the individual on parole: Individuals should be engaged in the creation of their supervision plans and in any process of changing their plan. Parole boards should make evidence-based decisions: Parole boards should utilize available tools, such as risk assessment instruments, to curb their tendency to hold people in prison who could be safely paroled to the community. This would increase the number of older people and those with serious medical conditions, as well as others who are at low risk for recidivism. Research and evaluation: If changes to parole systems are implemented, those changes must be rigorously evaluated for effectiveness and impact. In addition, more research must be done to determine which conditions of parole are related to public safety, and which merely interfere with a person on parole’s ability to live successfully in the community. For more information on The Release Valve, contact JPI Executive Director Tracy Velázquez at 202-288-2722 or Communications Director LaWanda Johnson at 202-558-7974, ext. 308. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 12, 2009 Washington, DC--The Justice Policy Institute (JPI), a national public policy institute dedicated to ending society's reliance on incarceration and promoting effective solutions to social problems, announced today that Tracy Velázquez will become its new Executive Director. Velázquez is most recently Senior Program Associate at the Vera Institute of Justice’s Center on Sentencing and Corrections. The transition will take place on January 12, 2009, when the current executive director, Sheila Bedi, plans to return to justice reform advocacy in the South. “Under Sheila’s leadership, JPI has continued its work in highlighting the negative consequences associated with society’s reliance on incarceration. We are grateful for Sheila’s tireless work and the energy she has put into JPI. We wish her the best in her future endeavors,” said JPI Board President David Fathi. "We are also very excited to welcome Tracy as the new executive director at JPI. Her research and advocacy experience and dynamic leadership abilities made her the best choice to lead JPI." “I am excited to join the Justice Policy Institute,” said Velázquez. “Spending billions of dollars to incarcerate millions of people has long been a losing strategy. I’m optimistic that with state and federal budgets stretched thin, policymakers will begin to critically examine these failed and expensive policies that are neither just nor economically justifiable.” Velázquez added, “With one in a hundred Americans now behind bars and Washington on the cusp of a change agenda, it is time once again for JPI to show there are far better ways than mass incarceration to improve public safety and strengthen our nation’s communities.” Velázquez is a passionate advocate and committed progressive who has been a long-time agent for change in a number of policy arenas. She is the former executive director of the Montana Mental Health Association, where she worked with policymakers to secure additional funding for mental health and suicide prevention and to reduce the criminalization of people with mental illness. Through the media, she and her agency raised awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), one of the top disabilities facing returning Iraq veterans. Prior to that, she co-founded and managed Commonweal Consulting, a consulting firm providing strategic capacity-building services to non-profits and public agencies. Velázquez also ran for U.S. Congress and served as Vice Chair of the Montana Democratic Party. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University and a master of public administration degree from Montana State University. During her tenure at Vera, Velázquez was involved in several projects to improve the systems people rely on for justice. She assisted New Jersey policymakers in developing a new model to expand diversion of people with substance abuse problems involved in the criminal justice system. Her research report, “The Pursuit of Safety,” examines sex offense policies and their impacts in the United States. Velázquez also worked with the New York State Division of Parole to implement evidence-based supervision practices that will improve the success rates of people re-entering the community from prison. Since 1997, the Justice Policy Institute has used research, policy analysis, and strategic communications to enhance the public dialog on incarceration. Lawmakers, media, advocates, systems reformers, and the general public rely on JPI's timely analyses. Over the last decade, JPI has published more than four dozen policy reports exploring the negative impact that incarceration has on government budgets, communities, and individuals. ###
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