The money that made prison expansion during the 1980's possible - about $90 billion, counting annual operating costs - did little to control crime.

"Has the economics of prison expansion blinded influential state lawmakers to the need for better criminal justice practice?"

He offers few plans to cut spending, saying the recent boom in Texas government revenue will help pay for prison expansion and more school aid.

The cost of the prison expansion would be $282 million.

"Three strikes and you're out" represents extension of a policy that has proved a failure: prison expansion.

For that reason, she suggests, he has also underestimated the cost of prison expansion.

To handle an upsurge in crime, the city in the 1980's spent more than $1 billion for prison expansion.

Reserve funds and the possibility of bonds have been discussed to pay for prison expansion.

But the prison expansion will have an expensive legacy: Housing inmates in new prisons costs up to $25,000 a year.

Cuomo administration officials describe the prison expansion in terms of simple necessity.