Billings part of panel looking at why criminals keep ending back in jail

State rep. believes issue is giant part of state budget

A panel of legislatures are looking at why criminals coming out of jail often end up back there.

Representative Jill Billings is on that panel and believes the issue is a giant part of the state budget. 

“We educate, we medicate and we incarcerate,” Billings said. “Those are the three main areas in our budget.

“After people come out of jail, look at practices to help, so they don’t end up back in that cycle of going back into jail. That’s an expensive proposition.”

Billings says the panel will also focus on road blocks people with criminal records have in getting jobs, which might prevent them from going back to old habits.

She also believes the issue negatively impacts the economy.

“When you look at the shrinking work force and the unemployment numbers, we really need all hands on deck, right?” Billings said. “We really need working numbers in our society. We can’t afford to have people sitting on the bench.”