Brawner: Prison Reform Will Test Conservatives

Stephens Media columnist Steve Brawner tackles the tricky prison reform issue that state lawmakers and the Governor will grapple with this session.

Arkansas is spiraling on a path that could see prison costs rise by $1 billion during the next decade unless things change. 

A prison study panel and several lawmakers are eyeing more parole options, electronic monitoring and community punishment for less violent offenders to free up space for murderers and rapists.

Brawner notes that the new Republican minorities in the House and Senate will be worth watching to see how their conservatism responds to this flummoxing combination of budget shortfalls and sentencing changes.

I’m watching to see how they react to the working group’s proposals. Those who might oppose the proposals preaching law and order should either propose raising taxes, which they won’t do, or make serious cuts elsewhere — even if it has to be in popular, even necessary, programs. Arkansas can’t afford to lock up those 3,200 offenders.

If all they do is defend the status quo, they will be practicing the kind of big-government conservatism Republicans perfected in Washington during the previous decade. That’s the kind of conservatism that promises less government through cutting taxes and reducing spending, but only keeps half that promise. The taxes get cut because voters like that, the spending doesn’t because voters don’t, and the result is bigger government and more debt.

It differs from actual conservatism, rarely practiced lately, which delivers less government through lower taxes and less spending — even for popular programs that benefit many taxpayers.

Actual conservatism is governing by grown-ups who understand that life involves tradeoffs and sacrifices. Big-government conservatism is governing by teenagers who haven’t yet come to that realization.

You can read Brawner’s full take at this link.