Bundle Of Crime Bills Signed During Final Days Of 2 Year Session
By Tony Romeo
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) – Governor Corbett has signed into law a bundle of crime bills passed by state lawmakers in the final days of their two-year session, including prison-reform legislation.
Governor Corbett has signed a second prison reform measure; the first bill in the package was enacted earlier this year.
The bills will allow counties the option of keeping some inmates who would otherwise stay in state prisons.
"As a result of that, the counties are going to be able to watch these people more. They will get some more money in that respect. But some of that money can then be diverted to various treatment programs, various probation and parole type programs of monitoring," says Corbett.
The governor says the idea is to save money and reduce repeat offenses.
Other crime bills signed by Corbett include a measure that creates tougher penalties for multiple straw purchases of guns and one that establishes new minimum sentences for juveniles convicted of murder, in response to a US Supreme Court ruling that bans mandatory life without parole for those youths.
