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The Policy Analysis Team Is A Number Of Policy Alternatives

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The policy analysis team has considered a number of policy alternatives to address the rising problems of increasing crime rates, recidivism, and over-crowded jails. When considering these alternatives, we examine the following criteria: cost estimation, equity, political feasibility, and administrative operability. According to Justice Policy Institute, the cost of housing an inmate is roughly $25, 000, increasing in health care costs as inmates age (). With costs rising due increasing incarceration rates and overcrowded jails, Harrisonburg-Rockingham Regional Jail Services has begun implementing a three-part phase leading up to the building of a new jail to house more inmates (). Within the past few years, the regional jail has become immensely overcrowded. The bedding capacity caps at 208; however, there was an average daily population of 450 at the end of the 2014 fiscal year (). Currently, inmates are sent to Middle River Regional Jail to cope with the increasing number of inmates in comparison to the limited beds available. While the limited number of beds has presented itself as a problem, there are other problems surrounding the overcrowding of the regional jail. Most notably, there has been a lack of programming. The combination of cost estimation and efficiency is therefore very important when considering the policy alternatives. As costs rise from the contracting out of beds in addition to the costs of building a new regional jail, suggested alternatives should

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