Senate members debated changes to Missouri's policy on crime and prison sentences.
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Senate members debated changes to Missouri's policy on crime and prison sentences.

Date: March 23, 2010
By: Alexandra Smoldt
State Capitol Bureau

Intro:  Small groups of senators discussed big changes in Missouri public safety.
RunTime:  0:41
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Jackson county Republican Senator Matt Bartle led a senate break-out session on budget changes related to public safety.

The goal of the small group was to find a way to slash 52 million dollars from this section of the budget.

At the end of the session, some of the major money savers were cutting costs in the judiciary process and in prisons.

Actuality:  BARTLE15.WAV
Run Time:  00:07
Description: "The first proposal is that we would reduce the headcount in our prison system by getting the right mix of prisoners in our system."

Some senators, including Bartle, anticipate that by following standard parole guidelines, the state could let go two-thousand prisoners and save 13 million dollars by closing a prison.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Alexandra Smoldt.  

 

Intro:  Senators brainstormed cutting the state's public safety budget in small group sessions Tuesday.
RunTime:  0:40
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Senate members and Missourians alike showed up to debate big budget changes.

These small group meetings are a first for the senate.

In the session on public safety, attendees came up with ways to cut 52 million dollars from that section of the state budget. 

Jackson County Republican senator, Matt Bartle, led the session and said the days' dialogue excited him.

Actuality:  BARTLE14.WAV
Run Time:  00:11
Description: "It's an outside the box idea, uh, and we are in need of outside the box ideas, so I'm hopeful that we can get some plans to bridge this big gap we have."

The ideas to cut costs came from thousands of emails from Missourians.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Alexandra Smoldt.