It's well known that the U.S. has a large prison population. It's been estimated that while we have 5 percent of the world's total population, we have a quarter of the known prison population. Many have not committed violent offenses. However, too often, being in a prison environment over time can cause a person to become violent -- sometimes just to survive.
In an effort to incentivize people behind bars to refrain from violence and bad behavior, back in 2011, the Connecticut State Legislature established the Risk Reduction Earned Credit program. Anyone who qualified for the program was able to earn five days per month off their total sentence, regardless of their designated security risk level. Prisoners are assigned risk levels of one through five (one being the lowest).
In February of this year, the Connecticut Department of Correction enacted some changes in the program's policies in order to provide increased incentives for good behavior and participation in prison programs and activities. Now prisoners receive Risk Reduction Earned Credits based on their security risk. Those at a risk level of one can earn five days off their sentence every month, for example, while those at a risk level of four can only earn three days off.
Sometimes, unfortunately, prison time is unavoidable. However, how you spend that time can have an impact on how quickly you get out and what kind of future lies ahead for you. If you have a loved one behind bars, you can seek information to help him or her while inside and after returning to the outside world.
Source: Department of Correction, "The Department of Correction Modifies the Risk Reduction Earned Credit Program," accessed Dec. 09, 2016