Local prosecutor weighs in on truth in sentencing

It is no secret that incarceration costs have been a driving force with legislative action over the last several years in Kentucky and other states. As jail costs have skyrocketed and other economic concerns have presented major budget constraints for Kentuckians, our state legislature has sought radical changes in the Kentucky Penal Code and administrative regulations. Some of these changes have been very transparent and others have not.

One of the ways the legislature has sought to save money is a mandate of deferred prosecution or presumptive probation for drug possession cases. In addition, the legislature cut the penalty time back from 1-5 years for possession of schedule II narcotics such as heroin, cocaine or methamphetamine to 1-3 years for the ... Read Commonwealth Attorney Zac Greenwell's complete op-ed piece in this week's printed edition of The Crittenden Press, on sale at newsstands now.