Recidivism has declined in New Jersey. What's different? The state has abandoned its "lock 'em up" mentality and is granting more parole. As a result, fewer inmates are returning to prison.

Bucking a national trend, the state prison population in New Jersey has shrunk 14 percent since it reached an all-time high of 31,300 in July 1999. The decline is largely due to a sharp drop in parole violators sent back to prison and a substantial increase in paroles, state records show.

After years of hard-line policies on lawbreakers, New Jersey is following a more measured, reasonable course, state officials say. "In most of the late '80s and the '90s, it was a law-and-order approach of 'lock 'em up and throw away the key,' " said John D'Amico Jr., chairman of the New Jersey State Parole Board and a retired Superior Court judge. Those policies "were not effective and not fiscally responsible," he said.

[hat tip Jim Capozzola at Rittenhouse Review.]