Prison overcrowding

A small number of those who commit crimes are heavily involved in drugs commit a large portion of the crime in this country. An evaluation of a "smart supervision" effort in Hawaii that uses swift and certain sanctioning showed that individuals committing crimes who are heavily involved in drug use can indeed change their behavior when the supervision is properly implemented.

In response to rising incarceration rates and prison overcrowding, Florida has developed the first statewide house arrest program. This 'Crime File' segment examines this program and its use of electronic monitoring devices.

This video, in the Crime File series, provides an overview of the problem of prison overcrowding and considers various strategies for addressing it; three panelists discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various remedial strategies.

This Crime File video examines the probation system in Los Angeles County, California, a jurisdiction burdened by prison overcrowding, rising probation caseloads, and inadequate financial resources.