Fewer prisoners in cells means more room for resources that benefit communities, and groups around the country are taking advantage of the space.
Although the overall state prison population in the U.S. rose by 6,300 inmates in 2013, the Wall Street Journal reported last September, not all states have been upping their numbers in recent years. Since 2011, at least 17 states have reduced prison capacity, for a total of more than 35,000 beds.
–
“Statistics have shown — and all of us have seen — that high incarceration rates and longer-than-necessary prison terms have not played a significant role in materially improving public safety, reducing crime or strengthening communities,” he told The Wall Street Journal.
