Daniel Erspamer Comments on Crime Special Session

My name is Daniel Erspamer and I’m CEO of the Pelican Institute for Public Policy, Louisiana’s free-market think tank. I’m also speaking today on behalf of the Smart on Crime Louisiana coalition, of which we are a member. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to share some information with you as you consider solutions to address Louisiana’s consistently high crime rates.

At the Pelican Institute, we are motivated by two priorities: first, our mission to achieve a Louisiana where every person has the opportunity to flourish. Flourishing, of course, includes the ability to live, work, and play in a safe community. So, too, is the opportunity for redemption and re-entry in the appropriate settings. The second is a commitment to data-driven policies recommendations supported by research and evidence. Our engagement in public safety policy is no different.

I’m so grateful for the focus of the Governor, the chairwoman, and the entire legislature to pursue policies that will lead to a safer Louisiana that has lower crime, fewer instances of recidivism, and makes best use of scarce taxpayer resources.

I wanted to share a few data points from states that have enacted similar policies that cap the ability to earn good time. In Washington, for example, crime has increased by 26% in the decade since the law passed and their corrections department notes a significant increase in institutional violence in the years following the passage.

In Michigan, offenders served 17 months longer than the national average and nearly 1 in 4 served more than 10 years, while violent crime rates in 2022 were 20% above the national average.

Further, in Arizona, following passage, they saw a 20% reduction in enrollment in education programs and a 7% increase in recidivism three years after release since Truth in Sentencing. Rule infractions in prison increased by 50% and violent infractions for serious offenders increased by 150%.

Finally, in two years, Tennessee has seen an increase to its prison population by 8% - the fourth highest in the country, the budget increased by more than 5%, their vacancy rate in corrections staffing increased to 36%, and violent crime rate was 48% higher than the national average. 

We all want more transparency and more certainty in our sentencing laws. Victims and their families, law enforcement, community members, and the offenders themselves all deserve that. We are hopeful that the legislature will consider these data points and continue to explore the best ways to streamline sentencing laws, provide greater transparency and certainty throughout the system, and use data- and evidence-based policy solutions to achieve those goals.

Thank you for your time and your service to Louisiana. 

-Daniel J. Erspamer
CEO, Pelican Institute for Public Policy