Like the state prison population, the House of Correction population swelled rapidly through the 80s and into the 90s. However, the House of Correction population has dropped further from its peak level and now stands at roughly half the DOC population.
Massachusetts has a lower incarceration rate than other states.
Many states have concluded that they have gone past the balance point into the zone of where incarceration costs exceed benefits and they have undertaken reforms to reduce incarceration. Even after their widely admired reforms, their incarceration rates are far above the incarceration rate in Massachusetts. But we cannot infer that Massachusetts is more wisely lenient than other states without a much finer analysis of crime rates and local conditions.
S1132 and S1139, An Act to protect children and families from harmful flame retardants
Senator Brownsberger recently submitted the testimony in this post on S1132, An Act to protect children and families from harmful flame retardants and S1139, An Act relating to disclosure of toxic chemicals in consumer products.
S654, An Act regarding higher education opportunities for high school graduates in the Commonwealth
Senator Brownsberger recently submitted the testimony in this post on S654, An Act regarding higher education opportunities for high school graduates in the Commonwealth.
H2119 The Children and Firefighters Protection Act
Senator Brownsberger submitted the testimony in this post on H2119, The Children and Firefighters Protection Act.
Growth in the lifer population has helped keep the prison population high.
From a 1973 benchmark, the prison population had quintupled to its current level of roughly 10,000 by 1993. One might have expected the prison population to begin falling as crime rates fell through the 90s and into this century. Yet, the prison population has remained fairly stable since 1993. The population committed for the most serious crimes (life sentences or sentences longer than 20 years) has continued to rise steadily, explaining much (but not all) of the continued high number of prisoners.