Durbin: Progress Being Made On Prison Reform
(CBS) -- Senator Dick Durbin has told a criminal justice forum that there's progress being made on prison reform, mainly because inaction is costing federal and state governments a fortune, reports WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore.
Durbin: Progress Being Made On Prison Reform
Senator Dick Durbin says finally there is bipartisan support for more reasonable sentencing in non-violent drug crimes and a bill is progressing on Capitol Hill. He says one reason is that it is expensive trying to look tough on crime.
"We set out to put people in prison who were accused of crime and we have probably the most successful government program in history. We have 500 percent more prisoners than we did when we got started. The cost of our federal prison system is 1,100 times what it was," said Durbin.
The Smarter Sentencing Act would reduce some sentences for non-violent crimes.
