Criminal Justice Trends Paper

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Budget implications of future trends to look forward to because of the past and current trends are cuts across virtually all government functions causing budget cuts within several departments of the correctional system. Decreasing budgets impact operating efficiencies, developing recidivism reduction strategies, and reconsidering policies. Decreasing operating efficiencies saves the criminal justice system money. One way this is occurring is through reduction of services, staff, and benefits. According to Scott-Hayward (2009), states are reducing healthcare services or joining in purchasing agreements to lower the cost of inmate pharmaceuticals. Many states have reduced corrections staff, instituted hiring freezes, reduced salaries or benefits, and eliminated pay increases (Scott-Hayward, 2009). The criminal justice system is also dealing with the decreasing budget by developing recidivism strategies. States are strengthening their community corrections systems to decrease recidivism rates. High rates of failure among people on probation and parole are a significant driver of prison populations and costs in most states (Scott-Hayward, 2009). Finally, the criminal justice system is dealing with the decreasing budget biggest by changing policies such as sentencing. The biggest budget savings come from policy changes that impact how many people come into prison and how long they stay (Scott-Hayward, 2009). Staffing typically accounts for 75 to 80 percent of corrections budgets; substantial cost reduction occurs when there is a reduction in prison population—whether a single cellblock or an entire prison (Scott-Hayward, 2009).

The past and current trends resulting from reforms such as reforms truth-in-sentencing and three-strike legislation have tremendously affected corrections leading to issues of overcrowding and a decreasing budget. Fueled by increased arrests, higher conviction rates, and longer periods of incarceration, the correctional population has increased causing prisons to become severely overcrowded and funds becoming very limited. These issues have caused huge concern for administrators, legislators, and activists about the future of corrections. They have the difficult task of developing new philosophies to aid in the future progress of corrections. Shifting in philosophy from the preference of punishment, administrators, legislators, and activists are leaning toward the preference of treatment as a disposition for criminal offenders.

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