What are some of the measures that states are considering to reduce overcrowding in prisons and the increased costs caused by it?

What will be an ideal response?

An ideal response would be:
In an attempt to reduce costs, some states have been using privatization, turning over the responsibility for operating prisons to private firms on a contractual basis. Overall nearly 7 percent of all those convicted of state crimes are serving their sentences in private prisons. The high cost of corrections is also leading some states to rethink the wisdom of mandatory sentencing. Because half the people in prison and half the trials held are about victimless crimes such as using marijuana, decriminalization could substantially reduce the load on the courts and rates of incarceration. States are also considering alternatives for nonviolent offenders such as halfway houses, mental health and drug treatment centers, intensive probation, work release programs, and other community corrections facilities. Finally, states are exploring ways to reduce recidivism (the tendency for released convicts to recommit crimes). Reentry programs offer offenders services, such as employment and training programs and substance abuse and mental health treatment, to better prepare them for life outside prison.