If it costs taxpayers $27,000 to keep an inmate in prison and two-thirds of the inmates released from prison end up back behind bars within three years, North Carolina ought to explore other options.

That’s one of the key themes Doug Lance made during his presentation today to the John Locke Foundation’s Shaftesbury Society. Lance is executive director of Alternative Community Penalties Program Inc., which provides assessment, substance abuse treatment, education, employment,
service placement, and cognitive behavioral skills to people who are
addicted and involved in the criminal justice system.

Click play below to hear Lance describe a key problem with our current system of criminal justice.

4:30 p.m. update: Watch the full 53:57 recording by clicking the play button below.

You’ll find other John Locke Foundation video presentations here.