[URob]

I would back up flu189. The CNN statistic (1 in 100 adults) cited by the OP was rolled out in big media release across the nation earlier this week, nabbing stories in NY Times and Washington Post, among others. What the fine print of the study shows is that, like any study, it's all in how you manipulate the numbers. For example, taken another way, with the US population (including not just adults) well over 300 million now, less than .5% of the population is in prison. 99.5% of the population is not in prison! But that doesn't sound nearly as dramatic and fear-mongering as the 1 in 100 statistic. And, as a University of Utah law professor cited in the NY Times article said, violent crime has dropped dramatically and a sure-fire way to increase crime is to release more criminals from prison.

Finally, what's happening in the VT Legislature with their current corrections reform legislation, is basically the result of a big lobbying campaign from the Council on State Governments and is being waged across the nation in other state capitols as well. They are selling it on theory that state tax revenues are down so can't waste $ on stuff like prisons. What Council on State Governments is not saying, nor the VT Legislature, is that there are also real social and financial costs associated with increased criminal activity.

[vter]

According to WCAX, this report is flawed, and the numbers just not true.

Correction: Prison vs. Education Spending

[Dwatted Wabbit]

Originally Posted by vter

According to WCAX, this report is flawed, and the numbers just not true.

Correction: Prison vs. Education Spending

Wait...you're saying someone in the major media made stuff up? No!

[flu189]

Originally Posted by Dwatted Wabbit

Wait...you're saying someone in the major media made stuff up? No!

I always hate reports issued with headline grabbing titles backed by "statistics" and many times the timing is supicious also in attempts to further agendas. Mark Twain said it best regarding statistics. As I have mentioned before the other statistics based data which is appears to be pure junk involves the various places rated reports. Anyway, especially up here, it is easy to read a news story claiming something and then in short order to be able do a little research and dismiss or debunk the intended message.

[goatwoodward]

Originally Posted by MRVphotog

Maybe if they built big cement walls surrounding every Vermont college, gun turrets, hired a security staff, install prison type security system and other prison type construction...then perhaps the college costs would be more on par with the cost of incarcerating a criminal.

The article also failed to mention that colleges have revenue(tuition/room/board) so the cost to the state is less. The article did mention that the stats are skewed as Vermont does not have county jails so all those incarcerated in Vermont are included in state stats.

Prisons may cost more than college overall, but Vermont's giving to UVM (public university) is still one of the lowest. I think we only beat out Puerto Rico. UVM may as well be private, especially when it comes to cost of attending...

[vter]

I was recently able to take a tour of the Chittenden County Correctional Center (aka the Four C's) and if this state is spending more on corrections than education, then something is definately wrong. The place was horrible (as would any jail be I imagine).

[arctichomesteader]

It's the layers of administration/bureaucracy eating up budgets, or so a correctional officer I know tells me...

[flu189]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

It's the layers of administration/bureaucracy eating up budgets, or so a correctional officer I know tells me...

You got that right. I know two guys, one a CO and the other on the probation/parole side of the house and they say the same thing. Seems to be the general trend in doing business here, just look at the educrats and the budgets that support that system. A pretty good indication of the problems in corrections here is the extreme high rate of turnover and difficulty in retaining personnel. Granted, corrections work by it's very nature can be pretty depressing and miserable, but where I last worked as a LEO the corrections employees had no where near the turnover rate we have here and they dealt with some real nasty people in comparision to here.

[goatwoodward]

Yeah, but at the same time, UVM HR claims that there "is no problem with employee turnover at UVM." Probably because the job market is soft enough in Burlington that they can always find new people to work for peanuts at lower levels & they can always import people from out of state for the decently paid upper echelons.

[Alt Dach]

One of the most telling facts about VT is that the state sponsored higher ed consists of
3 small colleges that were originally 2 yr teacher places