Procrastinators’ Programs SM

Crime & Punishment:

Mass Over-Incarceration in Louisiana Prisons Massive Costs, with Little Benefit, Is this

Justice?

The Hon. Frederick H. Wicker LA Court of Appeal – 5th Circuit

Course Number: 0200131227 1 Hour of CLE

December 27, 2013 11:20 a.m. – 12:20 pm

Fredericka Homberg Wicker  

Judge Wicker is a 1977 alum of Tulane Law School.  After practicing law for 20 years as a state and federal prosecutor and as a civil litigator she joined the 24th Judicial District Court in 1997. There Judge Wicker was a member of the court’s management team and the Drug Court bench. She was also the president of the Louisiana District Judges Association.    In 2006 she joined the Louisiana 5th Circuit Court of Appeal.  Currently Judge Wicker serves as secretary of the Louisiana Judicial College Board of Governors and is a co­chair of the LJC/LSBA Summer School and Annual Meeting.   She is also the La. Supreme Court’s designee to the Louisiana Sentencing Commission, and on the Family Services of Greater New Orleans Board of Directors.    Judge Wicker is married to T. Carey Wicker and they are the parents of Ben, a senior at the University of Richmond, T.C. a graduate of Georgetown University, and a member of Teach America and Freddi, an alum of the University of Virginia and the London School of Economics, who is currently also a member of Teach America.   

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Fredericka Homberg WickerLa. 5th circuit court of Appeal

L i i S t i C i iLouisiana Sentencing Commission

The Driving Factors of Incarceration in Louisiana

Highest incarceration rate in the country (1 in 55 adults incarcerated).

1 of every 26 adults under some form of corrections custodyThe prison population has doubled in the past 20 years. 40,000 incarcerated + 70,000 on supervision

41% of those incarcerated convicted of violent crimes.

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Nationally

25% of the world’s prisoners ar in U.S. Prisons

State corrections spending fiscal 2012: $52.4 billion Spending exceeded 7.0 % of overall general fund expenditures annually since fiscal 2008. 

The trend "suggests that criminal justice reforms have yet to reverse the persistent growth in public safety spending, and that many states still have a potential for greater savings from policy reforms."

70,000 OFFENDERS UNDER SUPERVISION

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DEMOGRAPHICS OF INCARCERATED POPULATION

State Local Probation Parole GTPS

Black 71.3% 65.6% 52% 55% 65.1%

Male 93.9% 94.1% 74.4% 86.5% 89.1%

Age  38 33.3 25‐29 30‐34 30‐34

Geriatric Population

17.6% of our population is elderly. Average Age is 54.5 for the population 

 50over 50.*3,721 in 2005 to 7,081 in 2013 (90% growth)

Overall Sentence Length

21 8.1

Average Time Served

8.36 1.99

The U.S. Dept. of Justice reports that we are one of three states (Florida and New York) that held the most offenders age 17 or younger in 2011. It adds that these states hold almost 1/3rd of the total number of offenders under age 17.

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DEMOGRAPHICS OF INCARCERATED POPULATION

Offense State Local TotalViolent Crimes

62.6%

20.5% 41.5%

Drug Offenses

16.7%

36.3% 26.5%

Property Offenses

10.8%

25.2% 18%

Education Levels

Current State Facilities Average

Reading 8.2 grade equivalent

Math 7.4 grade equivalent

> 20 Yrs 4,775 725 5,500Life 4,649 11 4,660

Death 85 0 85

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Language 7.4 grade equivalent

Last Grade Completed

10th Grade (self reported)

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WHERE ARE OUR PRISONERS?OVER HALF IN LOCAL FACILITIES

U.S. Dept of Justice reports more than 50% of all prisoners 

housed in local jails in 2011 were in 

Approximately 11,000 of the 15,000 releases annually are from the local facilities.

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Louisiana, Texas and Tennessee.

WHERE DO THE PRISONERS COME FROM

Sixty‐three percent of incarcerated population 

i t d i  convicted in 10 parishes

26.2% come from Jefferson and Orleans Parishes8

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Prisoners’Mental Health and Substance Abuse Issues

28% of DOC Offenders have diagnosed Mental Health Issues

13% are on Psychotropic medications.

53,822 psychotropic prescriptions written in FY , p y p p p11/12.

71% diagnosed with substance abuse addiction or dependence.

Aging Prisoners─Medical Health Concerns

Examples of the impact (males housed at LSP and EHCC 2008-2012)

High Blood Pressure 33% ↑Diabetes 25% ↑Cancer 34% ↑COPD/Asthma 55% ↑

Elderly offender population (> 50 yrs) has increased 26% since 2008 and this sub group’s health care needs are very high.

On site medical encounters have increased by 45%since 2008.

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The March Toward Massive Over‐ Incarceration

“TRUTH IN SENTENCING” AND “TOUCH ON CRIME”“TRUTH IN SENTENCING” AND “TOUCH ON CRIME”

A. MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCINGSA. MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCINGSB. HIGHER STATUTORY SENTENCE LIMITSB. HIGHER STATUTORY SENTENCE LIMITSC. PROBATION AND PAROLE RESTRICTIONSC. PROBATION AND PAROLE RESTRICTIONSD. GOOD TIME RESTRICTIONSD. GOOD TIME RESTRICTIONSE MULTIPLE OFFENDER STATUTESE MULTIPLE OFFENDER STATUTESE. MULTIPLE OFFENDER STATUTESE. MULTIPLE OFFENDER STATUTESF. RECALCULATION OF SENTENCING GUIDELINESF. RECALCULATION OF SENTENCING GUIDELINES

LOUISIANA’S SEAT IN THE BUS

Increased statutory sentence lengthsMandatory Minimum Sentence LimitsProbation and Parole RestrictionsProbation and Parole RestrictionsGood Time RestrictionsMultiple Offender Statutes

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Louisiana’s Seat in the Bus II85% Rule85% RuleNo Sentencing GuidelinesNo Sentencing GuidanceCulture of High SentencesDo 100% of the SentenceDo 100% of the SentenceLittle or No Programming in Most Local Facilities

The Local Implications of Failed Sentencing and Over-incarceration

95% of those incarcerated will be released and return to the communityTodd Clear “suggests that high rates of incarceration can destabilize communities in ways that make them vulnerable to crime. This argument draws upon social disorganization theory, which has long held that in areas

h id t hi hl t dl bil i illwhere residents are highly outwardly mobile, crime will flourish because those locations will lack the stable infrastructure that is required as a foundation of informal social control.” Todd Clear, “The Problem with Addition by Subtraction: The Prison-Crime Relationship in Low-Income Communities” in Invisible Punishment 182 (Marc Mauer & Meda Chesney-Lind eds., 2002).

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Local Implications IIPunishment alone is not very effective, particularly in the manner it is used in the criminal justice system. Cognitive behavioral and skills based interventions that include role play and practice sessions are the most effective at reducing recidivism and criminal conduct.Community based interventions and solutions are twice asCommunity based interventions and solutions are twice as effective as those offered during incarcerationLocal communities cannot shift responsibility for dealing with criminal conduct to the state or federal level, since the offender will one day return to the community.

Local Implications IIIOur communities are caught in a vicious cycle of poor g y peducational achievement, poverty, crime, and drugs. This doesn’t excuse the crimes or their very real costs.Incarceration in some neighborhoods has reached the point of destabilizationThe cost to our communities will continue to rise both in dollar and in human costs unless ALL of us take an active interest inand in human costs unless ALL of us take an active interest in finding real solutions rather than exiling those that offend us.

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1. THE SENTENCE BEGINS AT ARREST2. RISK NEEDS ASSESSMENT AT BAIL3. SENTENCING GUIDELINES4. ARRIVING AT GUIDING PRINCIPLES 

IN SENTENCING

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Sentencing Reform Today II

1. RISK NEEDS ASSESSMENT AT SENTENCING2. COMMUNITY BASED SENTENCING3. ADEQUATE COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES:

1. DRUG, ALCOHOL, MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT

2. COUNSELING IN BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION

3. EDUCATION AND JOB TRAINING4. DRUG AND OTHER SPECIALTY COURTS

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BackgroundThe Sentencing Commission is a public governor and g p glegislature‐ appointed body whose purpose is to study Louisiana sentencing and incarceration practices in order to propose legislative and administrative steps to reduce incarceration rates while also decreasing recidivism. The Commission also educates judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and probation and parole officers about Louisiana substantive and procedural law and criminal best practices. p p

The Commission’s work is currently conducted through four workgroups: Front End, Release Mechanisms, Reentry, and Information and technology. 

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CURRENT WORK(part 1)

Theft Statutes Re‐WriteComparative analysis of Drug StatutesExpansion of Drug and other Specialty CourtsComparative analysis of non‐drug statutes which carry mandatory minimums and benefits restrictionsDWI Statute rewriteBail statutes reformPre trial Release programPre‐trial Release programRisk/Needs assessment at sentencingHome incarceration analysisGeriatric and medical parole

CURRENT WORK(part 2)

Comparative analysis of multi‐offender statutesCleansing period toward parole eligibilityCleansing period toward parole eligibilityThird offender paroleComparative analysis of crimes of violenceTransitional work programsEnhanced substance abuse treatment optionsExpanded education and vocation opportunities in prisonExpanding reentry programmingExpanding reentry programmingExpungementContinuing analysis of Uniform Commitment OrderProject accurate rap sheet

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PAST WORKNotable 2011 reforms

Enhanced Pardon and Parole Process to aid in effective decision making

Created Home Incarceration Reporting RequirementsRequirements

Revised and consolidated the provisions concerning “good time”

Created Administrative Sanctions Process:

Parole Eligibility for First time Felony Offenders

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Notable 2012 reformsIncreased prosecutorial discretion in Increased prosecutorial discretion in regard to mandatory minimums

Merged the pardon and parole boards Merged the pardon and parole boards and eliminated the risk review panels

Expanded re‐entry courts to the 19th JDC and the 22nd JDC

Reduced time an offender must serve until they are parole eligible

Good Time calculation revision

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Notable 2013 Reforms

Created Early Release program for certain Drug Offenders

Attempted Theft

lSimple Escape

OWI

Risk/Need Assessment at Sentencing (Pilot program in the 22nd JDC)

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DPS&C BUDGET

$580,000,000

$590,000,000

$600,000,000

$610,000,000

$620,000,000

$630,000,000

$640,000,000

$650,000,000

$660,000,000

TOTAL GENERAL FUND

$400,000,000

$420,000,000

$440,000,000

$460,000,000

$480,000,000

$500,000,000

$520,000,000

TOTAL GENERAL FUND WITHOUT LHSAO

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$570,000,000FY2009 FY2010 FY2011 FY2012 FY2013

$30.00$35.00$40.00$45.00

FY2009 FY2010 FY2011 FY2012 FY2013

PER DIEM

$380,000,000FY2009 FY2010 FY2011 FY2012 FY2013

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Louisiana’s State Offender Incarceration & Community Supervision Costs Snapshot

Average cost of incarceration per day is $37.30State Institutions (about 18,800 offenders):

$53.80 per day Approximately $370 million dollars annually 

Local jails (about 21,000 offenders):$24 39 per da$24.39 per dayApproximately $187 million dollars annually

Probation & Parole (about 70,000 offenders)$2.37 per dayApproximately $60 million dollars annually

The Costs: Why do they matter?

The fiscal year 2012/2013 was allocated $45,313,460.00 for health care.The average cost per offender at the two LOC 1 facilities (EHCC and LSP) is approximately $24,000/year. The cost for elderly offenders is at least 3 times higher (approx. $72 000/year)$72,000/year)While incarcerated, Medicaid and Medicare may not be used to leverage these funds unless the patient is admitted to a hospital, so all of it is State General Fund dollars.

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Cost of RecidivismAbout 16,000 offenders incarcerated annuallyHalf of these are probation/parole revocationsNearly half of all revocations are for technical violations and not new arrests (about 4,000 annually)Offenders who complete probation/parole have a 14% recidivism rateAverage length of incarceration following revocation isAverage length of incarceration following revocation is 18 months (SAS, 2010)This equates to over $13,000 per offender (local jail housing at $24.39/day)These revocations cost the state over $48,000,000.00 in incarceration costs alone (18 month period)

A TOTAL OF 110,015The cost to you, the tax payer, by type

GTPS23,669

$2.37/dayParole3,074

$2.37/day L l

TWP3,874

$14.82/day

State18,271

$53.29/day

$2.37/day

Probation42,872

$2.37/day

Local18,423

$24.39/day

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The Driving Factors of Incarceration in Louisiana

Louisiana’s crime rate has shown a slight improvement from 2008 to 2011 in 4 of 9 categories, but we still rank in the top 10 in 5 categories and continue to be ranked #1 in murder.

Prison costs have tripled in the past 20 years ($700 million).

State budget is declining at record rates.

WHERE ARE WE: THE LONG SLOW ROAD

Reduced ServicesReduced ServicesNo Branch of Government Leading the ChargeDifficult Political and Cultural ClimateStrong Pushback From Spokes of the Criminal Justice Wheel: Judges, Prosecutors, SheriffsHard Work, No Money Hard Work, No Money 

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AN INCREDIBLY COMMITTED SENTENCING COMMISSION

AN INCREDIBLY COMMITTED DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

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Mass Incarceration and Criminal Justice Reform in Louisiana

QUESTIONS?

Fredericka Homberg WickerFredericka Homberg WickerLouisiana Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal(504) 376-1420Rwicker@fifthcircuit.org