About 178,000 people are on probation in our state. Criminal justice reform advocates and a growing number of lawmakers argue that number is too many.

Gov. Tom Wolf has called on lawmakers to reform the probation system.

“Punishment should fit the crime,” Wolf said late last year. “Punishment should not be endless.”

The Prison Policy Initiative says Pennsylvania has the second highest rate of people under correctional control in the country. The nonpartisan, nonprofit group says the state’s system is unnecessarily expensive and punitive. Too many people are on probation for too long, making it exceedingly difficult for those trying for a fresh start.

On a typical day, more than 7,400 people in Pennsylvania are incarcerated for violating the requirements of their release. Moreover, the state spends over $100 million annually to incarcerate people for technical violations of probation and parole. A technical violation could include failing a drug test or missing a meeting with a parole officer.

Statehouse Republicans and Democrats have crafted legislation to fix this.

Last month, lawmakers approved a package of reforms that will allow some lower-level offenders to be eligible for parole more quickly. Lawmakers also approved a bill creating an advisory panel to improve the probation system.

Most other states have defined limits on probation, and several states have found ways to reduce the number of people under court supervision.

The Senate bill calls for uniform caps on probation terms: three years for misdemeanors and five years for felonies.

Experts and advocates say the greatest risk for those on probation to commit new crimes is within the first year. Some probation officers say there’s little to be gained by maintaining court supervision of most on probation beyond two years.

Pennsylvania Corrections Secretary John Wetzel supports efforts to shorten probation terms and reduce the prison population.

Wetzel said supervision requirements make it harder for people on probation and parole to keep jobs or get treatment for substance abuse.

“It really has forced us to really look at our rules: Are they realistic? Do they make sense? Do they correlate to an enhancement of public safety, or are we setting individuals up to fail?” Wetzel said.

The Senate legislation is being negotiated and is a work in progress. If approved, it still must go through the House. Lawmakers say they are committed to getting a bill to the governor this year, hopefully this spring since lawmakers will be concentrating on re-election during the second half of the year.

Lawmakers have worked together on criminal justice reform, most notably the Clean Slate law, which allows those with convictions of less serious crimes to clear their record.

We hope lawmakers can reach a compromise on probation.

Offenders deserve a second chance and a fresh start.