California officials attribute the trend to its institution of drug treatment for nonviolent offenders, Pennsylvania cites more halfway houses for parolees, and Texas credits increased parole as well. New York Gov. George E. Pataki and his administration are crediting the decrease to new policies that grant shorter prison sentences to more nonviolent offenders and early release for those who complete boot-camp programs, educational or vocational training. A future drop could come if the state passes Pataki's proposed overhaul of the state's stringent Rockefeller-era drug laws, which critics say drove up the prison population with lengthy mandatory sentences and restricted parole. Illinois also saw a stabilization in the number of adult male inmates, but said there was an increase in female and juvenile offenders. Florida also saw its prison population increase.
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