A groundbreaking pilot program between the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office and the city’s community college to trade prison time for a college education is the first of its kind in North America. It’s also a stroke of genius.
Conservative criminal justice reform advocates are making the case that reducing the prison population, treating drug addiction, and giving a second chance to lawbreakers are policy prescriptions that mesh with conservative ideals.
Though some cities profit from collecting fines on poor defendants and jailing them when they can’t pay up, the costs to government resources and taxpayers prove hefty.