The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (Center) is partnering with the Pew Charitable Trusts to help states identify and adopt strategies to advance fiscally sound, data-driven policies in sentencing and corrections that protect public safety, hold offenders accountable, and control corrections costs.

In fiscal 2007, states spent $49 billion on corrections. On average, such expenditures have risen about 7.5 percent per year since 1990. Continued growth in prison populations will pose even greater challenges to state policymakers.  According to a forecast by the Pew Charitable Trusts, between 2006 and 2011 state prison populations will grow by twelve percent from 1.5 million to 1.7 million prisoners. Without implementing any significant changes, this will cost states an additional $25 billion by 2011.

Through our work, the NGA Center aims to help states reduce corrections populations and expenditures in ways that enhance public safety. In May 2008, NGA hosted an Executive Policy Retreat at White Oak Plantation with support from the Pew Charitable Trusts. Resources and other meeting materials from the retreat are available online.

• Executive Policy Retreat on Sentencing and Corrections Meeting Summary

Related links:

• Pew Public Safety Performance Project
  The Public Safety Performance Project helps states advance fiscally sound, data-driven sentencing and corrections policies and practices that protect public safety, hold offenders accountable, and control costs.

• The National Institute of Corrections
  The National Institute of Corrections is an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons that provides technical assistance, information services, and policy/program development assistance to federal, local and state corrections agencies.

• The Vera Institute of Justice
  The Vera Institute of Justice combines expertise in research, demonstration projects, and technical assistance to help government and civil society improve the systems people rely on for justice and public safety.

• Council of State Governments
  The Council of State Governments forecasts policy trends for the community of states, commonwealths, and territories on a national and regional basis. Their Justice Center promotes data-driven practices where criminal justice intersects with other disciplines, such as public health.