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What's 80/ 20?

By KFBB News Team

Story Created: Jul 2, 2008 at 5:31 PM MST

Story Updated: Jul 2, 2008 at 6:24 PM MST

At the end of 2006, 3,572 Montanans were behind bars, but there were 141 less inmates in 2007. State department of corrections director Mike Ferriter says the reduction in Montana is gratifying but others aren't so happy. According to the Department of Corrections, the number of offenders is actually going up by six percent every year. So how’s that possible? Eighty percent of prisoners are now placed in alternative correctional programs like the pre-release center in Great Falls and some say it’s just not working. Late last year Governor Brian Schweitzer signed executive order 22 after a recommendation from the Department of Corrections. That stated 80 percent of inmates would be supervised and managed outside of prisons, and only 20 percent would be held in actual prisons. However since most of these community programs can only be found in a few large cities like Great Falls and Billings …these communities- - and their taxpayers are responsible for the inmates from the entire state. Cascade County Sheriff David Catsle says, “the effects here are tremendous and it’s been a burden on Cascade County.” In fact, Castle estimates that only 10% of parolees in Cascade County are actually from here. One major problem is that many of the released inmates commit new crimes and that makes it hard to maintain the 80/20 ratio. “It’s a joke their out there committing crimes every night because they know nothing going to happen to them” Cascade County Attorney Brant Light said. According to Castle, 7 out of 10 will re-offend. Castle added that since the beginning of the year Cascade County has seen more serious crimes. homicides have risen in Cascade County.” “I just don’t think the 80/20 is working” Light said.

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