Issue Position: Prison Reform and Reducing Recidivism

Issue Position

Sentencing and prison reform is increasingly a bipartisan issue. State-run prisons should exist primarily to preserve our domestic safety and rehabilitation, not as an employment program for prison staff. Rather than continue with overly broad and obsolete policies that hurt so many communities and bankrupt our state, Alabama Democrats favor a policy approach focused on the principles of effectiveness and efficiency. Through evidence-based prevention and rehabilitation programs -- proven programs that work, we can boost the success rate of an ex-offender's reentry into society. As we help them to transform their lives, these citizens can, in turn, contribute to stronger and more vibrant communities in our state.

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