Irish Penal Reform Trust

US: Missouri Sentencing Advisory Commission

12th October 2010

In August the Missouri Sentencing Advisory Commission started providing judges with detailed information on the costs of sentencing options in various cases.  Officials said that this was so that judges could compare the costs of prison and alternatives in nonviolent cases.  This information is available to help Missouri judges, attorneys and probation officers identify sentences that have the best chances for reducing recidivism and are most cost-effective. 

The Missouri commission also reports on the risks of recidivism, which often results in increased costs to the state as inmates become trapped in the system.  Supreme Court Judge Michael A. Wolff, commission chairman, has commented that "it’s time to talk rationally about how much punishment we can afford”.

Read More:

  • Missouri Sentencing Advisory Commission website
  • Smart Sentencing Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 5
  • An article in the Kansas Star about the overcrowding crisis in the Kansas prison system.

Our work is supported by

Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.

Subscribe

Legal

Contact us

This website uses cookies to provide a good browsing experience

Some are necessary to help our website work properly and can't be switched off, and some are optional. Click on "Choose cookies" below for more information on the cookies being used on this website. Please note that based on your settings, not all functions of the website may be available. You can manage your preferences by visiting “Cookie preferences" at the bottom of any page.

This website uses cookies to provide a good browsing experience

Some are necessary to help our website work properly and can't be switched off, and some are optional. Please choose the cookies to allow below. Please note that based on your settings, not all functions of the website may be available. You can manage your preferences by visiting “Cookie preferences" at the bottom of any page.

Your cookie preferences have been saved.