Bill To Relieve Overcrowding In Pa. Prisons Headed to Rendell

HARRISBURG (CBS) - The state Senate has passed and sent to Governor Rendell a bill that is designed to alleviate severe overcrowding in Pennsylvania's prisons.

Pennsylvania can't build prisons fast enough to deal with the rising population in state prisons and has even had to place some inmates in out-of-state facilities. Erik Arneson, spokesman for the Senate Republican leader, says the bill on its way to the governor would give the justice system more latitude in handling non-violent offenders:

"This bill will encourage the greater use of what's known as 'intermediate punishment' – which are such things as house arrest with G.P.S. monitoring to get non-violent offenders spending less time in prison."

The bill would make parolees who commit technical violations of their parole eligible for alternative punishments and would allow some inmates to complete pre-release programs outside of prison. A spokesman says Governor Rendell will review the bill before deciding whether to sign it.

Reported by Tony Romeo, KYW Newsradio