no_vaseline_IHB
New member
I have long argued that the prison system is underfunded and overcroweded. I elect to blame the 1980's "Get Tough On Drug Crimes" era, where they started tossing folks in the slammer without any notion how they'd pay for it. Here's one more hole in the budget that needs to be addressed.
<a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-prisons5-2009aug05,0,1866042.story">http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-prisons5-2009aug05,0,1866042.story</a>
<blockquote><em>Federal judges call conditions in the prisons 'appalling' and unconstitutional. A reduction plan is due by mid-September.</em>By Carol J. Williams
August 5, 2009
California must shrink the population of its teeming prisons by nearly 43,000 inmates over the next two years to meet constitutional standards, a panel of three federal judges ruled Tuesday, ordering the state to come up with a reduction plan by mid-September.
The order cited Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's own words when he proclaimed a state of emergency in the corrections system in 2006 and warned of substantial risk to prison staff, inmates and the general public, saying "immediate action is necessary to prevent death and harm."
Tuesday's ruling heightens the stakes for a legislative debate over prisons that will take place later this month. <strong>As part of the agreement to close the state's $26-billion budget gap, the governor and lawmakers agreed to cut $1.2 billion from the prisons budget, but postponed decisions on how to hit that goal.</strong>
The governor and most legislative leaders back a plan that would reduce prison populations by as many as 37,000 over the next two years using a combination of early releases, changes in parole policies and shifting of some prisoners to county jails.
Debate on that plan will be contentious, with many Republicans opposed. But the judges' ruling means that defeating the plan would not only unravel a major piece of the budget agreement but also potentially <em><strong>cede decision-making over prison policies to the federal courts.</strong></em></blockquote>
This is advantageous to the CA GOP. They can claim they were against releasing the prisioners (because they legitimately blocked thier release), and then scream bloody murder about how it's the Dems fault/activist judges when the Feds force the release anyway. Very smart!
<a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-prisons5-2009aug05,0,1866042.story">http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-prisons5-2009aug05,0,1866042.story</a>
<blockquote><em>Federal judges call conditions in the prisons 'appalling' and unconstitutional. A reduction plan is due by mid-September.</em>By Carol J. Williams
August 5, 2009
California must shrink the population of its teeming prisons by nearly 43,000 inmates over the next two years to meet constitutional standards, a panel of three federal judges ruled Tuesday, ordering the state to come up with a reduction plan by mid-September.
The order cited Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's own words when he proclaimed a state of emergency in the corrections system in 2006 and warned of substantial risk to prison staff, inmates and the general public, saying "immediate action is necessary to prevent death and harm."
Tuesday's ruling heightens the stakes for a legislative debate over prisons that will take place later this month. <strong>As part of the agreement to close the state's $26-billion budget gap, the governor and lawmakers agreed to cut $1.2 billion from the prisons budget, but postponed decisions on how to hit that goal.</strong>
The governor and most legislative leaders back a plan that would reduce prison populations by as many as 37,000 over the next two years using a combination of early releases, changes in parole policies and shifting of some prisoners to county jails.
Debate on that plan will be contentious, with many Republicans opposed. But the judges' ruling means that defeating the plan would not only unravel a major piece of the budget agreement but also potentially <em><strong>cede decision-making over prison policies to the federal courts.</strong></em></blockquote>
This is advantageous to the CA GOP. They can claim they were against releasing the prisioners (because they legitimately blocked thier release), and then scream bloody murder about how it's the Dems fault/activist judges when the Feds force the release anyway. Very smart!