Springfield, IL -- More people are gettinglocked up in Illinois and now lawmakers must find a way to cut the costs,. John Maki, with the John Howard Association, says the answer is to only imprison violent offenders and seek diversionary programs for others. "Prisons are best served if we use them to place violent people, people who pose real violent threats to public safety. Most people who have drug problems or who have mental illness, they can be dangerous, but prison is not the best place for them", said Maki. The Inmate population is at an all-time high with corrections facilities at 144-percent over capacity. Representative Art Turner has proposed a bill that would begin to address the issue. - http://goo.gl/otVr8
