Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
March is Women's History Month!

Alabama Department of Corrections Officials Say Prisons are Dangerously Overcrowded

Montgomery, Alabama – MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Alabama Department of Corrections
Commissioner Richard Allen has told legislators state prisons are
extremely overcrowded and understaffed.
Allen said Thursday if his budget is cut in the coming fiscal
year because of the recession, the situation will become more
critical.
Gov. Bob Riley has ordered most state agencies to cut their
budgets by 10 percent for the current fiscal year. But Riley said
he didn't impose that on corrections because of its problems.
Allen told lawmakers it would be impossible to cut the budget
for prisons by 10 percent without releasing inmates and closing
facilities.
Allen said there are currently more than 25,000 inmates in a
system built to house about 13,000.