North Carolina Governor Aims to Cut Crime and Costs
Like nearly every state in this country, North Carolina is feeling simultaneous budget constraints and rising costs of corrections. As stated in the Raleigh News and Observer, Governor Perdue states that we “can’t build prisons fast enough”. It has taken extreme budget shortfalls to bring attention to the problems of mass incarceration—but at least the attention is now there.
Perdue states that the state will be joining forces with the U.S Department of Justice, the National Council of State Governments Justice Center and the Pew Center to study why so many people end up in prison and what might be effective in changing this.
Typically, corrections and the criminal justice system only look at what can be done after a crime is committed. Prevention, on the other hand, hasn’t played as big of a role. Being “smart on crime” will require the state to not only prevent future criminals but also prevent recidivism.
Treatment programs like rehabilitation, mental health, education, and job placement can all play a role in helping someone stay out of the criminal lifestyle. While we can hope the new studies that the Governor is committed to will one day translate to more programs like this, for now we are left with what is already available.
Probation is one way in which some of these programs are available for prevention of recidivism. The probation department of North Carolina has gotten a lot of negative publicity over the past several years but the resources are there for defendants committed to making a change.
In addition, when you are facing charges you can take proactive measures that will not only benefit you but possibly have a positive impact on your case.
For instance, if you are charged with drug possession and enroll yourself in a drug treatment class, the prosecutor and judge will see this initiative as being proactive and take that into consideration when determining how best to charge and sentence you.
When you are facing charges like drug offenses or even DWI, you need a defense attorney that has knowledge of what programs and alternatives are currently in place. As your attorney, I can help you find the resources you need. Call me today.
No related posts.