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Lawmakers Debate On Prison Spending

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Posted: 8:40 AM May 17, 2008
Last Updated: 8:40 AM May 17, 2008

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State lawmakers are debating the best way to handle North Carolina's growing prison population as they develop the budget.

The News & Observer reported Friday officials say growth in prison population is mostly due to growth in the overall state population.

In one meeting, legislative fiscal analyst Doug Holbrook told lawmakers that projections show the state could need an additional 6,100 beds to keep up with a growing prison population by 2017.

Options presented to the lawmakers included building more prisons, adjusting the state's sentencing grid, or both. Holbrook says the state would need to spend between $85 million and $120 million soon to meet a 1,854-prison bed shortage by 2012

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Posted by: Cactus Location: Strabane,NC on May 17, 2008 at 07:53 PM
The lawmakers need to visit the sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona. From what I've heard he has some very good ideas, tents for housing, pink clothing, chain gangs etc. Sounds good to me.

Posted by: S Location: Washington,NC on May 17, 2008 at 03:53 PM
Lawmakers need to hire more staff for the prisons we do have...and because of the low pay,some of the ones that are hired now are caught having sex with prisoners and supplying them with other contraband...just check the prison records if you don't believe me...the really sad part if that the staff that do these illegal things are hardly ever punished....if the salaries were higher the State could hire a much more educated,higher class personnel...but with the salary they get now,it is hard to support a family....Increase their salary levels and get better personnel instead of building more prisons and hiring lower educated personnel...

Posted by: Greenville on May 17, 2008 at 10:49 AM
If these people were trained as a child right from wrong maybe we would not need more ROOM. Maybe we should be tougher on sentences-bring back the chain gang-take away air condition-TV. We are not providing a motel to live in. Make it hard inside and Maybe they will think twice about breaking the law.Or better yet -if you are cought red handed-take care of it the next day-why make you wait so long for sentencing.And what is this waiting for ever on death row.You know you were wrong--why should we have to pay for a place to keep you for ever with all the comforts of home!!!!!

Posted by: Ted Location: Greenville on May 17, 2008 at 09:10 AM
Hey, how about hiring enough staff to properly manage all those inmates!

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