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(a) The State of Arkansas hereby finds that the cost of incarcerating the ever-increasing numbers of offenders in traditional penitentiaries is skyrocketing, bringing added fiscal pressures on state government, and that some inmates can be effectively punished, with little risk to the public, in a more affordable manner through the use of community correction programs and nontraditional facilities.
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(b) As a result of the rising cost of traditional incarceration, the state finds that the purpose of corrections in Arkansas is twofold:
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(1) “Community correction”, defined as both nontraditional correction centers and nonresidential community corrections, including supervision on probation, parole, and transfer, is charged with the provision of correction focused on promoting offender accountability and the supervision of offenders at appropriate levels to promote public safety; and
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(2)
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(A) “Institutions”, defined as traditional prison beds, are charged with the appropriate incapacitation of high risk offenders.
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(B) “Incapacitation” involves traditional aspects of incarceration coupled with highly supervised community correction when appropriate.
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(C) “High risk” is defined as those convicted of the most serious offenses, those who have longer criminal histories, and those who have repeatedly failed to comply with conditions imposed under less restrictive sanctions.
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(c) Furthermore, the state determines that services designed to address offender needs must be integrated into the framework of both institutions and community correction programs and must be balanced with supervision and correction such that the community is repaid for the offense, public safety is promoted through supervision, and the offender is assisted in becoming a law-abiding member of society.
