Good time
"Good time" refers to a policy that allows inmates to reduce their prison sentences based on good behavior, which serves to alleviate overcrowding in correctional facilities. This approach has its roots in legislation first enacted in New York in 1817, allowing first-time offenders to be eligible for a sentence reduction of up to 25%. Various forms of good time exist, including statutory good time, which is automatically granted for incident-free service, meritorious good time for exceptional conduct, and earned good time for participation in work or rehabilitation programs. The specifics of good time policies can vary significantly from state to state, influencing how much time can be accrued based on behavior. Some states offer the ability to vest good time, making it non-revocable after certain thresholds are met. However, not all states provide this benefit, with some instituting policies like "bad time," which can extend an inmate's sentence. While good time can help manage prison populations, it has faced criticism for potentially compromising community safety when it leads to early releases. The policy's use has been particularly debated during crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, when programs to earn good time were temporarily suspended, prompting calls for reform.
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Good time
SIGNIFICANCE: Inmates may reduce the lengths of time they serve in prison based on their good behavior. This policy has the additional effect of freeing up needed space in the prison system.
Good time allows correctional officials to reduce days, months, and years from inmates’ sentences if the inmates behave well in prison. Correctional officials utilize the policy of good time to maintain institutional order and to deal with prison overcrowding. The first such statute was passed in New York in 1817, implementing good time at Newgate prison in Greenwich Village. The statute permitted a sentence reduction of up to 25 percent for first-time offenders.
There are different forms of good time. Statutory good time is given automatically when inmates serve their time without incident. Meritorious good time is given to inmates who perform exceptional acts. Earned good time allows inmates to receive time off their sentence for participation in some kind of work, education, or rehabilitation program. The amount of good time varies by state. Usually, five to ten days can be accrued for behaving well for one month. In some states, when an inmate earns a certain amount of good time, say ninety days, the time can be vested. Then the days cannot be taken away for poor behavior. In some states, good time is subtracted from the minimum sentence. As a result of good time, some inmates are eligible for parole before the minimum sentence is served.
Good time is not a right of all inmates. The policy must be state-created, and some states eliminated good time during the “get-tough-on-crime” era. Wisconsin has adopted “bad time” to allow time to be added, delaying an inmate’s release date. There has been controversy about good time. The pressures in favor of increasing the amount of good time a prisoner can earn come from overcrowded prison populations and court decrees ordering states to place limits on prisoners. It is relatively straightforward for a legislature to shave days off prison sentences by increasing good-time credits that can be earned. This type of reform avoids the negative publicity that can accompany a parole release. However, when good-time credits lead to very early releases, the policy receives criticism as being “soft” on crime, and some believe it creates the possibility of placing the community in danger. During the global COVID-19 pandemic, many prisons suspended programs that allowed prisoners to earn credits. Prison reform advocates were critical of these temporary changes and called on states to use good time to improve safety by reducing prison populations during the pandemic.
Bibliography
Abadinsky, Howard. Probation and Parole. 7th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 2000.
Glaze, Lauren, and Seri Pella. Probation and Parole in the United States, 2003. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2004.
Petersilia, Joan, ed. Community Corrections: Probation, Parole, and Intermediate Sanctions. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
"State Good Time and Earned Time Laws." National Conference of State Legislatures, 11 June 2021, www.ncsl.org/civil-and-criminal-justice/state-good-time-and-earned-time-laws. Accessed 3 July 2024.
Travis, Jeremy, and Sarah Lawrence. Beyond the Prison Gates: The State of Parole in America. Washington, D.C.: Urban Institute, 2002.
Widra, Emily, and Wanda Bertram. "More States Need to Use Their 'Good Time' Systems to Get People Out of Prison During COVID-19." Prison Policy Initiative, 12 Jan. 2021, www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2021/01/12/good-time/. Accessed 3 July 2024.