Arkansas officials discuss possible sentencing changes

Editor’s note: Roby Brock, with our content partner Talk Business, wrote this report. He can be reached at [email protected]

Another chapter in the saga of prison reform was written today (Feb. 17) as prosecutors, legislators and members of the Governor’s staff convened in different settings to discuss changes to the state’s criminal justice system.

Lawmakers will soon consider a comprehensive overhaul of sentencing guidelines and court protocol aimed at saving money and reducing the number of non-violent offenders in the state’s prison system.

Arkansas’ prison population is stretching current facility capacity and, if it stays on course, could cost the state an additional $1.1 billion during the next decade. Lawmakers have already started efforts to ease the inmate burden.

Today, Gov. Mike Beebe’s staff met with a representative of the Arkansas Prosecutors’ Association to discuss details of the more than 160-page draft bill that may be filed in the next few days.

"We had a good meeting. It was productive. They understand our concerns and they addressed some of them," said Robin Carroll, Prosecuting Attorney for the 13th Judicial District in El Dorado.

Carroll and several other prosecutors met later in the morning with freshmen legislators for a presentation of their concerns. Carroll told about 15 lawmakers that of the 122 sections of the mammoth overhaul bill, prosecutors only have issues with "about 10 sections."

Most of their concerns center on:
• Reducing penalties and sentencing for meth-related and non-meth drug crimes;
• Reducing felony classifications for criminals convicted of domestic violence, child abuse and sexual crimes;
• Removing universities from drug-free school zones; and,
• Rewarding judicial districts with more funding for sending fewer defendants to prison.

Carroll told legislators that after his meeting with the Governor’s staff he expected many of their concerns to be addressed and the bill would be changed.

"At the end of the day, there may be a couple of things that we just can’t come to an agreement on. But we do have a commitment from both sides to continue to discuss the issues with the bill and try to make it better," Carroll said.

Freshman Rep. David Sanders, R-Little Rock, has been a vocal critic of some of the provisions he’s seen in the draft bill being circulated for review.

After an informal meeting with the Governor and the presentation from the prosecutors, Sanders said he feels better about the proposed changes, but will adopt a wait-and-see attitude.

"My mind will be at ease when I see the changes in bill form. … The Governor has given his word that we will not go easy on violent criminals. That is the Governor giving me his word and I take the Governor at his word," Sanders said.

Matt DeCample, spokesman for Gov. Beebe, said he hoped the meetings would remove misconceptions that the bill rewards leniency and less commitment to public safety.

"We are working to make sure that that we don’t inadvertently include violent crimes in our reform measures, and continuing to discuss different viewpoints about proper sentences and rules for methamphetamine crimes," said DeCample. "This undertaking remains our best opportunity to address our unsustainable prison growth, ensuring that we can keep violent criminals behind bars without having to raise significant taxes to build more prisons.”