Prison populations decline, but not in Idaho
Shown from the entrance, the Idaho Correctional Center is a privately run but state-owned prison south of Boise.
Inmate numbers rose in Idaho, 22 other states
NEW YORK – Spurred by budget crises, California and Michigan together reduced their prison populations by more than 7,500 last year, contributing to what a new report says is the first nationwide decline in the number of state inmates since 1972.
The overall drop was slight, according to the Pew Center on the States – just 0.4 percent – but its report suggests there could be a sustained downward trend because of keen interest by state policymakers in curtailing corrections costs.
“The political and policy environment has changed drastically,” said Adam Gelb, director of the Pew Center’s Public Safety Performance Project.
What's the deal with Idaho prisons?
