Prairie Public Broadcasting

Missouri Reduces Prison Population in Face of National Increases COLUMBIA, MO (KBIA) - Missouri is the only state with a decreasing prison population over the past three semiannual counts. That's according to a report released by the Federal Bureau of Justice Statistics.

During the year 2006, prisons nationwide saw a 2.8 percent increase in population. But, Missouri during the same time period saw a decrease of just more than 2 percent, or about 700 prisoners.

Judge Michael Wolff is chairman of the Missouri Sentencing Advisory Commission.

He says that number has a significant impact.

They're small numbers but they add up to big numbers, I mean, 700 prisoners is half of a prison. It's a lot of money. This has a dramatic impact on such things as recidivism and public safety. And those things are what we really care about.


Wolff says the numbers are down because of a Missouri Reentry Process and other programs in place to combat recidivism, or re-arrest, rates.



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