Report Shows Community Sentencing Works

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A new report says a state program to divert nonviolent offenders from prison into other programs is proving to be successful. The report says 88% of convicts sentenced under the

Thursday, August 23rd 2007, 1:31 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A new report says a state program to divert nonviolent offenders from prison into other programs is proving to be successful. The report says 88% of convicts sentenced under the Community Sentencing Act have not been convicted of any other crime within three years of successfully completing the programs.

The program allows the convicts to stay out of prison and on probation if they meet court-ordered requirements.

Officials say the program costs an average of $1,711 per convict which is a fraction of the cost of keeping an inmate in prison.