According to the Pew Center on the States, Massachusetts is the fifth state in the US with the most adults in jail or prison, on parole, or under probation. The organization’s report found that at the end of 2007, 1 in 24 adults in the state were either under community supervision or behind bars. That’s 206,241 adults.
More of the study’s findings:
• In 2007, some $1.25 billion was spent at the state and federal levels on corrections.
• Massachusetts was the third state with the most number of adults under community service: 1 in 28 adults (179,854 adults under the supervision of probation and parole officer at the federal and state levels).
• Massachusetts spent a dollar on prisons for every four cents it spent on parole.
• With 26,387 adults in jail in 2007 (1 in 90 people), Massachusetts ranked as the 47th state with its number of adults in prison or jail.
• Massachusetts’ Department of Corrections currently runs 18 prisons.
• It’s spending plan for this fiscal year, ending in June, is $543 million.
• The Massachusetts Parole Board’s budget for this year is $19.4 million. The board supervises about 8,000 parolees each year.
All too often in Massachusetts, people are arrested, charged, or convicted of a crime they did not commit or they are treated unfairly by the criminal justice system. While issues of mistaken identity or bad luck may seem like simple problems that can be easily remedied through discourse, this is not always the case when it comes to the Massachusetts criminal justice system.
If you are under investigation, have been arrested, or are charged with a Massachusetts crime or a federal offense, the consequences of the case against you-especially if you are convicted-could negatively affect your relationships, your career, and the rest of your life. For example, a Massachusetts DUI conviction may not only affect affect your auto insurance or your driving record, but it could land you in jail. Also, a conviction for a Massachusetts sex crime will follow you for the rest of your life as a registered sexual offender.
Study: Mass. fifth in nation for adults in prison, probation or parole, Boston Herald, March 2, 2009
Related Web Resources:
Massachusetts Department of Correction, Mass.gov
Massachusetts Parole Board
At Altman & Altman, LLP, our Boston criminal defense lawyers have years of experience in dealing with clients charged with different crimes, including theft crimes, drunk driving offenses, drug crimes, white collar crimes, assault and battery, sexual assault, illegal weapons possessions, domestic violence, and other crimes. We know what we need to do to protect you and your legal rights, as well as secure the best outcome possible for your Massachusetts criminal defense case.