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February 23, 2007
California facing forced prison releases
As detailed in this AP article, California's prison overcrowding crisis is leading now has political leaders in panic mode:
Facing a looming deadline and dwindling options, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic leaders said Thursday that they will consider letting some inmates out of prison early to avoid court-ordered early releases. The governor told reporters during an afternoon news conference that one option could be freeing nonviolent offenders.
Soon afterward, his press office issued a statement modifying Schwarzenegger's comments. In the written statement, Schwarzenegger said he would not rule out "the potential release of the old, feeble and sick who pose no threat to the public. ... However, I will not allow the early release of any felons -- violent or nonviolent -- as a means to address overcrowding."
Schwarzenegger's news conference followed a meeting with the four legislative leaders that was driven by a renewed urgency to deal with severe overcrowding in California's 33 prisons. "We made a commitment that everything is on the table, from building more prisons to creating a sentencing commission to parole reform," Schwarzenegger said during the news conference.
The overcrowding is the subject of three separate lawsuits filed in federal courts throughout Northern California. One of the judges has set a mid-May deadline for the state to produce a plan to deal with the crowding. Two judges said they could seek the early release of inmates and cap the inmate population -- thus keeping convicts in county jails -- unless the state acted to solve the overcrowding. California's prisons were designed for 100,000 inmates but hold nearly twice that number.
February 23, 2007 at 06:28 AM | Permalink
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Comments
This is such garbage. Why do federal courts seem to feel the need to invent constitutional rights with respect to prison conditions. Guys on ships in WWII had to hotrack, and submarine quarters aren't so roomy either. Any crime committed by any criminal released pursuant to that judge's order is the responsibility of that judge. I hope he sleeps well at night.
Posted by: | Feb 23, 2007 11:45:23 AM
Just because some people can no way relate to the seriousness of this issue...or have any real research invested, they feel entitled to call it garbage. I hope they never come across the level of judgement they spew out.
Posted by: | Feb 23, 2007 7:01:51 PM
Just take a look at what mandatory releases did in Philadelphia, when its jails were supervised by a federal judge. People die when judges manage prisons. It's just that simple.
Posted by: | Feb 24, 2007 3:52:13 PM
For all of you that are opposed to this mandatory population control of our prison system, obviously have never done any time in any state facility. So really you have no references to what the conditions are like at all. To compare submarine quarters and ship bunks is like comparing apples to oranges. California's prison's and most county jails for that matter, are not too far from crossing the lines of "cruel and unusual" punishment. Until you have walked in the shoes of an inmate you can't comment on what needs to be done and what doesn't. your right, as prisoners we are obligated to do the time for the crimes commited, but should we be forced to risk our lifes because of health risks, fights, and many other life threatening obstacles likely to happen due to overcrowding, and budget cuts in the prison system? Thank God for the fed's, otherwise no one would do a damn thing at all.
Posted by: lee | Apr 10, 2007 3:03:47 AM
I THINK REHAB IS THE WAY TO GO BECAUSE ADDRESSING THE ISUES THAT CAUSED MANNY OF THE CRIMES TO BEGIN WITH REALLY DOES WORK , SO STOP TRYING TO LOCK AWAY A STATE WIDE PROUBLEM AND DEAL WITH IT FOR ONCE . SCHWARZENEGGER CAN ACTUALY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WHO WILL BE PART OF SOCIETY SOME DAY REGAURDLESS OF WEATHER HE DOES ANYTHING TO DEAL WITH THE REAL PROUBLEMS OR NOT!"SO DEALING WITH THE DRUG PROUBLEM SEEMS LIKE A DAM GOOD IDEA TO ME ".DONT YOU THINK?
Posted by: JULIA LUNDIN | May 7, 2007 11:56:35 AM
Personally I think that for many of the inmates that are in for nonviolent crimes should have been offered/ordered to some type of treatment instead of incarceration. There is usually an underlying reason for negative behaviors leading to involvement/breaking the law. It doesn't take a genious to realize that incarcerating repeated offenders has not worked in the past. What makes us think building more prisons is going to work? Why not educate and treat those individuals and assist them in living more productive lives. It would cost alot less than building more prisons, hiring more qualified staff, medical/mental health care for the inmates, food and prison inmate garb, the list goes on and on. Anotherwords alot of taxpayer money that could be used on other inportant issues. Harsh punishment doesn't always work. Especially if you have been punished all your life and didn't realize even through adulthood that what you were doing was wrong, because thats all you knew, you grew up that way and a product of your enviroment. Sometimes people need to be told why what they are doing is wrong and where a positive change in their lives may lead them. Think about it. It really isn't that difficult. How would I know you ask? I'm a mental health provider and through my experience I can honestly say it works!
Posted by: Delma Quijada | May 13, 2007 2:13:25 AM
i think its rubbish to say that because of overcrowding you have to release prisoners who have been convicted by the court itself and given a sentence.And how do you know the people released live in or have bigger spaces that what they got in the prison.
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mark osborn
Addiction Recovery California
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California Drug Treatment
Posted by: James | Aug 14, 2008 8:47:09 AM
California taxpayers are standing up for their rights today. Taxpayers are telling Sacramento that they're tired of paying for more and more prisons, while every other social program faces devastating budget cuts. Even though the state is facing a $20 billion dollar deficit and our high schools, colleges, universities, health care facilities, and food banks alike are threatened with billions of dollars of reduced funding, the Governor and our Legislative leaders want to build 53,000 new prison and jail beds. We already have 170,000 prisoners in California. We don't need more prison beds -- we need sentencing reform and better support in the community for recovering drug addicts, people with mental illness, and parolees.
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albertjames
California Drug Addiction
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jack
_____________________________
Posted by: jackjames | Nov 4, 2008 1:38:35 AM
Many of the c/o guarding our prisons are just as bad as the prisoners they guard. Only they haven't been caught for their misdeeds. They sneek, lie, run drugs, and bring in contraband for prisoners for large payoffs. Of course they like to blame the visitors for all the drugs and CELL PHONES behind the walls of the prisons but not so. I believe that living situations behind the bars is at times unbearable and cruel. I am 1 of those visitors who has seen and heard much. The worst crooks are the ones higher up in the government.
Posted by: lee | Aug 12, 2009 4:18:46 PM
GPS tracking systems are only a small part of what it takes to keep our children safe from sexual predators. First of all, legislators need to ensure that these sex offenders cannot reside anywhere near children. Police need to spend less time hiding with their radar guns to give speeding tickets and more time monitoring areas where sex offenders reside. GPS tracking bracelets are a must! The people monitoring GPS trackers most be competent and knowledgeable.
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