EDITORIAL: Prison population effort gains steam in statehouse

The Indiana Senate voted 46-4 on Wednesday in favor of an overhaul of state criminal sentencing laws, and now goes back to the Indiana House, which has approved another version of the bill, reports the Associated Press. If the two houses of the legislature can now agree on the same language, Indiana could be on the way to reducing its prison population.

This traces back to recommendations by the Pew Center on the States and the Council of State Governments Justice Center that Indiana reduce the number of individuals in prison because they are guilty of low-level thefts and drug offenses. The AP report said a state analysis projects that the change in sentencing laws would prevent the need for more state prison space for at least 10 years.

A similar legislative effort failed last year, due in part to strong opposition from Indiana prosecutors who felt that passage of that version constituted being soft on crime. But this year, state prosecutors are supporting the new version of the bill.

As well, it merits the support of taxpayers who are weary of being among the nation’s leaders in paying to house criminals, regardless of the seriousness of their crime.