Nh and Maine have the nation's lowest adult prison rates (2009, low crime)

[forest beekeeper]

NH, Maine have low rates of adults in prison - Boston.com

A new report from the Pew Center says 1 in 82 adults are under correctional supervision in Maine.

Giving Maine the second lowest rate of adults in prison

At 1 in 13 in Georgia is the highest.



Woo Hoo!

[Dwatted Wabbit]

Interesting report. There's a lot to re-think in the criminal justice system. How much re-thinking legislatures will be doing, given the costs, is questionable.

Joe Arapa____ (sp?) down in Arizona IMO has done good work in cutting costs. I would provide zero weight rooms for any prison. No way would I contribute to bad actors coming back out into the world extra buff after lifting for five years. Let them do pushups.

Sending small time drug users, chronic small time punks, and many others to the joint for long stretches is probably counterproductive. The three strikes laws should probably be struck, except they are likely in response to judges who feel sorry for poor axe murderers. Another quandry.

It's a complex problem, but money talks, and when the fearless leaders re-look at prison costs perhaps there can be some thoughtful and effective reform.

Good post, Glad NH and ME are low on this totem pole.

[BrokenTap]

It really is not shocking. We have the lowest crime rate in the country so why would we not have the lowest prisoner population?

Of course the police attitude helps too. We have only had a few issues where the police were called and on both occasions the detective said this, "Now we can handle this, or you boys can handle it, but I'm telling you right now, you guy are better off dealing with it then us."

We ended up dealing with it and thus problem solved, no bad mark on the Maine crime record and no inmate for taxes to support. We need more of this. People dealing with their own problems instead of calling liaison's of the state to make it their problem.

[Connecticut Pam]

These stats don't surprise me. How can people get into trouble when there is no opportunity for getting into the trouble around you? Population wise, how much "stuff" is there around the residents of these areas that would allow them to get into trouble? What parts of these states are you talking about? I am sure the larger cities of both NH and Maine show higher crime rates, no? I lived in Northern Maine and there was crime...heck my ex husband was part of it...just not a lot of it.

I am sure no one on here is surprised at the fact that these two states have low crime rates.

[BrokenTap]

Originally Posted by Connecticut Pam

Population wise, how much "stuff" is there around the residents of these areas that would allow them to get into trouble? What parts of these states are you talking about? I am sure the larger cities of both NH and Maine show higher crime rates, no? I lived in Northern Maine and there was crime...heck my ex husband was part of it...just not a lot of it.

We park tractors that are worth more then most homes (½ to ¼ million dollars) all night long...unlocked...with the keys in them without worry. The majority of that security lies not within locks but within our reputation to not be messed with.

About every 5-7 years you have to remind less morally minded individuals that the area that farmers do indeed stick together and make an example of people. Last year I was talking with a hunter who lives 2 hours south of me. When I described where I live he said he had been in the area but had been warned that "farmers there should not be messed with." I only grinned...he was talking about us.

That is truly what keeps crimes in check here...fear of consequences far greater then what the police or DA can hand out. When we lose that, and must rely entirely on the the police and the district attorney for protection, we will be in deep trouble. I pray I never see that day nor that of my daughter's.

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by BrokenTap

We park tractors that are worth more then most homes (½ to ¼ million dollars) all night long...unlocked...with the keys in them without worry. The majority of that security lies not within locks but within our reputation to not be messed with.

About every 5-7 years you have to remind less morally minded individuals that the area that farmers do indeed stick together and make an example of people. Last year I was talking with a hunter who lives 2 hours south of me. When I described where I live he said he had been in the area but had been warned that "farmers there should not be messed with." I only grinned...he was talking about us.

That is truly what keeps crimes in check here...fear of consequences far greater then what the police or DA can hand out. When we lose that, and must rely entirely on the the police and the district attorney for protection, we will be in deep trouble. I pray I never see that day nor that of my daughter's.

Good point.

SSS

[Nor'Eastah]

Heck, with all that snow to shovel, who has time to go on a crime spree???

[bignhfamily]

The running joke here across the Maple Curtain is that if it wasn't for Massachusetts - NH wouldn't have any crime.

[BrokenTap]

That is pretty funny, of course here we say the same thing.

A few years ago the State Police decided that woman of ill repute needed to be cracked down upon in Maine. They did this sting operation that involved all 16 counties, involved a task force of police officers from every county, and it spanned months of investigation. In the end their sweep across Maine netted ONE arrest...a woman from NH!!

I guess it goes back to the fact that we barter wayyyy too much in this state.