Gov. Schwarzenegger’s gift to California: 20,000 criminals on the loose?
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing the early release of more than 20,000 low-risk prison inmates as a way to save money amid a worsening budget crisis.
The Sacramento Bee reported on its Web site Thursday that the governor will ask California lawmakers to authorize the release of certain non-serious, nonviolent offenders. The prisoners would have less than 20 months to go on their terms.
Sex offenders would not be eligible for release under the proposal.
The plan would cut the prison population by 22,159 inmates and save the state $256 million in the fiscal year that begins July 1, the Bee reported. Savings could reach $780 million through 2010.
The proposal also calls for eliminating more than 4,000 prison jobs, most of which would involve guards.
Just an idea being “floated.”
Proving that the ivory tower is phenomenally out of touch with reality, one professor says this plan would be no big deal:
UC Berkeley law professor and corrections expert Franklin Zimring said that in raw numbers, “I don’t know of any” other releases across the country that would match what Schwarzenegger’s administration is proposing.
But he said the proposed 13 percent cut in the prison population – which stood at 172,079 as of Dec. 12 – would be on par with the results of changes in parole policy that Gov. Ronald Reagan imposed in the early 1970s.
“This could be an extraordinarily interesting experiment,” Zimring said. “The nice thing about having a Republican governor do it is that I don’t think there is going to be a firestorm.”
Clueless.
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Releasing cholera into the prison population to see how their subculture reacts to the crisis would be interesting too. Anyone advocating that?
Wonder what the definition of this type of offenders is in regards to the proposed release? Bet ya it ain’t what the law thinks it is.
I can see child molesters, pedophiles, rapists, terrorists, murderers, etc., etc., being released under this program because “they were model prisoners, and totally non-violent and non-serious while in prison.”
And, before anybody else has a chance to say it, “Only in California!”
Wonder what state will be next?
California. The land of fruits and nuts, and a great place to be from. Far from.
wow
experiments like this the US doesnt need.
Dumping 22,159 inmates back on the streets is an extraordinarily interesting experiment - in stupidity.
They will need the extra funds to hire additional police.
The prisons are clogged with drug offenders on sham required minimum sentencing. We have a higher percentage of people in jail than any other country in the world. It’s a waste. Keep those that are truly a threat to society behind bars and find more constructive and cheaper ways to deal with the rest.
I don’t feel sorry for the dopers. A very high percentage of crime is drug related and if they are to stupid or weak to avoid drugs locking them up just helps to clean up the gene pool.
let the fire storm commence. Did these people break the law? Duh! no brainer.
22,159 inmates back in society how many will go recommit crimes violent or not because of this wonderful catch and realese lesson they will have learned .
What’s next? If our prisons a clogged with robbers and rapists we should let them out or legalize the activity?
The land of Oz… Not the tv series, the wonderland.
Where in the world is Carmen Electra?
Can I make a suggestion? Turn your “lab monkeys” loose in your neighbor and then report back to me about how extraordinarily interesting of an experiment it was.”
Folks, our “representatives” have lost it. Arm yourselves and prepare to do battle. Turning convicted criminals loose to save money. hmmmmm, there is no other way to cut costs?
22 thousand inmates could build one heck of a double layer fence. put them to work for the right to be freed not just to save money… pelosi will earmark something for that. sheesh.
Is there something in the air and water in California that makes people take leave of their senses out there? Just how much rational thought is left in that state…other than our highly rational and thoughtful posters on MM from California.
nice save katie… lol
*claps for AJ
Great idea.
Break the law, you will be rewarded.
Break the law, you will be rewarded.
Break the law, you will be rewarded.
Break the law, you will be rewarded.
Break the law, you will be rewarded.
Break the law, you will be rewarded.
Break the law, you will be rewarded.
Non-serious? Then why are they IN prison?
Another interesting experiment would be enrolling some of these parolees in the professor’s class…
they shot someones tire….. lol
It’s a ploy to stave off the housing crisis. They’ll need someplace to live.
I feel so sorry for my youngest brother. He has a real sweet place in West Sacramento, but I have a bad feeling this prisoner release is going to increase his risk of being the victim of burglary or other type of theft crime. So glad I didn’t settle in California after my time in the service.
Only because drugs are illegal. It’s a manufactured problem — an artificial black market created by government intervention in people’s private affairs. You could have said that a high percentage of crime was alcohol related during prohibition. That is a condemnation of prohibition, not alcohol.
I guess I have two strikes against me - I’m originally from New York, transplanted to Kalifornia.
Where do I stand?
lol cpodug…you’re screwed….
One in five inmates are illegal aliens, that means of those 20,000 proposed, 4,000 are illegal aliens. Perhaps they could be vetted and the illegals removed from the state back to where they came from at the same time saving even more money on social services, re-offending, etc…… Nah, never happen in Mexifornia!
WTF??? How about just taking away their television sets, three-course meals and $300 an hour counseling sessions and start treating them like the criminals they are?
Furthermore, make them produce something of value to offset their cost to taxpayers.
nyc123me, can you say “Cruel and Unusual Punishment”?
Here in NJ we just had two inmates escape from a prison in Union. They “shawshanked” their way out and left a thank you note for a prison guard. Both were violent criminals.
If only they had waited… California is doing is releasing inmates. So, NJ is sure to follow. And I know what you are thinking CA is letting out non-violent criminals. Well, you think NJ wouldn’t one-up CA?…
cpodug, the chain gang.
If you came from New York and live in California yet are still a conservative, I’d say you are a unique person with a good mind against all odds.
Mark, it isn’t just the drug offenses - its the robbery, burglary, prostitution, car theft, assault, and murder committed by people who are on or want to be on drugs.
It’s also the attitude that “Illegal doesn’t apply to me”. If they want to use drugs, make the case and change the law. If you can’t convince enough people, suck it up and live within the law.
Yet another nice save from katieanne.
It’s all true.
Inmates are already protesting this blatant Bloggerization by the Malkin Mob.
inmates
Why not take the Maricopa County approach? Minimalist living conditions, simple meals, etc. I believe the good Sheriff there has saved quite a bit of money while making sure those who owe time serve that time.
I have a few cost-cutting measures myself:
1. Hurry up and execute the guys on Death Row. “Old Age” is not an efficient, cost-effective way to put the worst of the worst to death.
2. Secure the borders so we won’t have to jail all of Mexico’s “finest” citizens when they misbehave.
3. Institute the Joe Arpaio way of housing inmates: no t.v. but PBS, bologna sandwiches and an apple for meals, tents instead of comfy air-conditioned cells, etc.. None of this crap about paying for sex change operations.
3. Take white-collar criminals out of the Camp Cupcakes and make them dig ditches, pick up road kill and trash, etc.. Believe me, it’s worse punishment for the embezzlement crowd than a college campus-like “prison.”
4. Let the cops shoot to kill all criminals. That way, you won’t even have to put them on trial.
See? It’s easy. I should run for governor.
AJ - beyond belief
ROTFLMAO
The Malkin Mob, I love it.
Whoops, two #3s there!
I’d love to see the detailed analysis of recidivism statistics in the 3 months / 6 months / 12 months following this release, if it happens. How many of these “low-risk” inmates truly end up being low-risk??
I certainly hope that at the very least The Governor is allowing some budget for this ongoing study of the numbers.
Drugs to be legalized–there are certain folks here who want drugs like marjuana (sp) legaized. My guess is, if a close look is given to those to be released-many would be “minor” drug offenders.
Hey! We Californians, who have been doing battle for a very long time, could use a little more help and a little less criticism. Some of you move here so our base will be stronger. (-:
TO SAVE MONEY! What the hell kind of justice system is that??? California needs to just go ahead and fall off into the ocean.
This is a bad idea and this is some of same crap I fear will come from RINOs; Guiliami and Romney.
We keep losing our footing. The governator is pulling down the Republican party with this one…
They should be “TERMINATED!”
That would be; marijuana legalized.
Guiliami - that wasn’t done on purpose. But I like it.
Big Arnie is going to do lots of things that annoy people. His health care plan and now the prison release will get some conservatives madder than a hornet’s nest. BUT those of who have lived in California will forever owe a debt of gratitude to Big Arnie for getting Gray Davis out of office. And only Big Arnie could do the job. In his last term as governor, Gray Davis was giving drivers licenses to illegal aliens, forcing paid leave upon employers who couldn’t afford it, raising taxes, appointing procriminal judges, enforcing a rigid racial quota system into public sector jobs and college admissions.Under Davis, was rapidly becoming a socialist state. And in rode Big Arnie to the rescue. He may be perfect BUT Big Arnie alone rid the Golden State of the Davis socialist regime. For those who do not remember the loony Jerry Brown, Davis was even worse. When Davis got in,he was so left wing that he made Jerry Brown seem like the second coming of Milton Friedman.
And Big Arnie rescued the State of California from this disaster. For those out there who criticize Big Arnie, give it a rest. Big Arnie came in and did the job. The US Constitution should be changed so that Big Arnie can run for president. He would win and save the country from the disaster that awaits when Billary regains power.
As the holiday season begins, everyone should say: “God Bless Big Arnie”.
Bullseye!
No one is above criticism. Especially when they pull crap like this.
We applaud him when he does well and we hold his feet to the fire when he doesn’t. Accountability is very important. He doesn’t get a free pass.
I have a suggestion for experimenting with prisoner releases… release the illegal aliens in California prisons… to their countries of origin.
Does this mean that rumor is true that he’s going to be in Obamination’s cabinet? Weak on crime is a must.
The Top 20 most influential US liberals:
You will notice that Schwarzenegger (R) is #8 (Right below Michael Moore and above many Democratic Congressmen).
“Leaving him off the conservative list was a difficult decision but Schwarzenegger’s defiance of Republican orthodoxy and move towards California liberalism leaves him better placed to influence the liberal sphere.”
fyi to
All..
and Thanks to Michelle for picking this up.
Those who would be eligible for release are “low-risk” category criminals.
Sex offenders would not be included in those considered for release.
Not sure hiow illegals would fold into this number and what treatment might be accorded them per the proposal at this point..
What an offering to the legal community at the holiday tho.. and to the entire community as well.
California has a 3-legged union stool controlling its gubamint and the teachers, prison guards and trial lawyers call the shot herein the legislature and have for quite some time.
No surprise this is floated.. and that is all it is at this point, floated .. like a lot of other hot air balloons out of the halls of Stinkymento, home of the Turd Way movement.
“This could be an extraordinarily interesting experiment,”
And when you F up and a person is killed, how does that figure in your GD F ing experiment? (sorry Michelle.)
Other notables on that list:
21. WARREN BUFFETT
Businessman and philanthropist
23. COLIN POWELL
Former Secretary of State
24. JOHN EDWARDS
Presidential candidate
25. MICHAEL BLOOMBERG
New York mayor
27. BILL RICHARDSON
New Mexico governor and presidential candidate
28. CHUCK SCHUMER
Senator
30. JOE BIDEN
Senator for Delaware and presidential candidate
33. HARRY REID
Senate Majority Leader
37. JOHN KERRY
Senator for Massachusetts
38. CHRIS MATTHEWS
no the good thing about a Republican doing it is that the blow back will not come on the Democrats. that is the only reason it is a ‘good’ thing.
my word. i live in southern california and am so tired of this state going down the toilet. i think it is time to move back to Tulsa….
This is not going to end well. Many of these guys are plea downs from much more serious crimes than the sentence reflects.
This is what Rudy McRomney Republicanism gets you.
where is the record on Romney’s release of criminals? where is the record on Romney’s commutations and such?
I think there is a record out there, someone have it? before you slam him should find out first, don’t you think?
I am getting closer every day to move from this State. Arnie and his legislature in Sacramento SUCK!
Who slammed who?
The longer you live in CaliForrrrnnnnniaaa the more liberal you become.
oh please, i’ve lived here 49 years…
How about deporting the millions of illegals instead to free up some $$$$?
How about THAT for a solution?
I’m ready to move into Nevada — like I said before in some prior post. I’m only 37 miles from the border.
And NO income tax either.
You are what you eat. Aj has been eating up conservatism for decades…
#35
3. Institute the Joe Arpaio way of housing inmates: no t.v. but
PBSFoxNews, bologna sandwiches and an apple for meals, tents instead of comfy air-conditioned cells, etc.. None of this crap about paying for sex change operations.Fixed it for you!
On the one hand…yes, many aspects of the “war on drugs” are an appalling waste of time and resources. It also creates the sort of environment where cops are virtually guaranteed to seriously hurt innocent people, as seen with all the wrong doors that heavily armed cops seem to be breaking down.
But on the other hand, if a law is unjust the proper way to address that is to have it changed through the established legislative process. Simply letting people out of jail two years early is only going to breed further contempt for the law, and goodness knows we have more than enough of that already.
I’d also be curious to know how many of these offenders are truly non-violent and how many simply pled down their charges to avoid trial.
On Romney:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1942612/posts
One of his liberal judicial appointments made national headlines after the scum he released went on to murder a newlywed couple:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20071126/us_time/romneyvsgiulianioveramurder
The Unions own Sacramento. How are they going to let 4000 dues-paying members be laid off?
How about the legislature institue some reductions in pay, benefits and retirement for themselves? I know a married couple here in Southern California, who have medium echelon jobs in city government, who get paid in excess of $150,000 each per year each! That isn’t even considering their retirement and healthcare.
Fixed it.
Well they need all that money to pay for the new FREE health care program for the 5 million ILLEGAL ALIENS in crummyfornia.
But how much will this action cost the citizens of the state? I bet it will cost way more than $256 million in the long run. But maybe they’ll put a condition on release that requires all parolees to leave the state, like they did with the rapist in Arkansas. That would be a nice Christmas present for neighboring states and help prevent political backlash at home.
You mean to tell me that in this ENTIRE STATE, that the only way he can find to save money is to release convicts????
OK, this is just ridiculous. The wife and I have been talking about leaving this state for some time and now I think we need to seriously do it. It is a shame really. I am a native here. I was born and raised in this state. I am an anomolly. Very few of us actually exist. It is the dang East coasters that come here, bringing their East Coast ideas to this state that has turned in into the Liberal Wonderland that it has become. I’m serious. Between the Illegal Immigration in the South, the constant Freak Show in San Francisco, it has just become intollerable.
This state should have been divided up three ways a long time ago. We haven’t had a Governor that wasn’t from Southern California in I don’t know how long. Everything in this state is run with L.A. in mind. Forget about us up here in the North. When rolling blackouts hit, do you think that L.A. had to deal with them? Hell no. It was us. Do you think we would have water problems up here in the North if we didn’t have to shuttle all our water down to L.A.? Hell no, we would have plenty for the Salmon and Striper and other fish and the farming and everything else. But nooooo…people want to move and live in that desert and crime infested wasteland. All the money is shuttled wither into South of Bakersfield or into the Bay Area, leaving the rest of the State to rot.
Well to Hell with it.
My wife and I were actually on the initial band wagon to not only toss Davis out, but to get Scwarzeneggar elected. I am embarrassed now to say we did so. He turned into the biggest Rino that has destroyed my chances of getting repaired from my injury to begin with, and has been kissing the butts of the Dems for so long, they all had to install glass navels so he could see where they were going in the Capital.
This State has crashed. The 5th largest economy in the world and it is run like a banana republic. It should be in the Repubican’s hands, but they can’t even get a candidate to go against Boxer or Feinstein. Hell, we never even know who is running against them each election till we get the ballots.
To hell with it, we’re moving. Idaho looks good…anyone have any more suggestions where a red blooded retired fireman Conservative Republican would fit in with his flag out every day and his flag on his car and not have to feel like knocking Liberal heads together to get some sense into them on a daily basis?
I live in this Socialist Republik of Kalifornia too, and we’ve looked at moving either to Nevada or Utah. Idaho is nice too, but way too cold.
Yeah, but acreage with views of the Snake River and the Gran Tetons for around 100K and seasons…White Christmases and such. Utah gets cold too. This state just isn’t worth it anymore. And Idaho is a mere 10-12 hour drive back to friends and family for holidays
Utah and Idaho are beautiful states….but I wouldn’t want to leave Orange County.
Hey Michelle, can you please advise where I can return the gift? Or is it possible for those of us in California to regift this to another state?
I’ve said it before on this forum, but I think its worth saying again. California is a failure and Schwarzenegger is a joke. They provide welfare, schooling and health care to millions of ILLEGALS, they suck up more federal tax dollars than any other state and still cannot manage their own criminals. Don’t be surprised when we learn that those released from California prisons under this program will have to leave California - placing an even larger burden on the other 49 states.
RetFireman,
As a retired fireman from Kalifornia myself I have to ask, what took you so long to realize that the state is beyond redemption? I was out of that place within a year after I retired and have never looked back. I moved to Arizona (was going to Idaho) and one simply cannot imagine all the rights one re-attain when you cross the Colorado River from Kalifornia into Arizona.
As to the original topic of this thread, I hope AH!nold is not opposed to the building of a fence along the borders of his state to keep all those newly released convicts within their appropriate borders. As with “illegals” most other states have their fair share of criminals and certainly don’t need to be taking any from AH!nold so he can balance his budget.
Yeah, thats because NK, Iran, Saudi Arabia just kill criminals or cut off body parts or just torture suspected criminals or just plain old dissidents instead of just putting them in prison and letting them watch MTV on plasma screens.
Interesting? Experiment? My God, they’re talking about unleashing 20,000 criminals back into law-abiding society!!!
Interesting? Tell that to their future victims.
I think Arnold has been hanging around the Kennedy’s house too much.
Low risk to whom?
Retired Fireman #72, It just struck me on why Arnold is doing it. He can’t raise our taxes anymore so he’s going to release 20k prisoners to hit the streets and rob us blind. Arnold will get a cut of the loot and he’ll then create more socialist programs and throw our hard earned money at it. Then he’ll let out another 20k saying that he could reduce the deficit with the original 20k and they will come out and rob us blind again and he will again take a cut of the loot….AND SO ON
brooklyn red #82, No kidding. Low risk when they went in but how about coming out? What kind of tricks of the tade are shared in prison?
Judging from the reactions to what I perceived initially as good news, it is clear that I am missing something. I can never exclude that possibility; it is the story of my life. So I am appealing to those to view this article in the worst possible light to give me some reasons as to why I am error.
These people will be coming out someday. They are non-violent offenders of non-serious crimes. No sex offenders. Should anyone sentenced under the described category be given life? Might there be a problem with that? Are we all agreed that the war on drugs is a smashing success?
I am willing to concede there may more to this, i.e. ugly stuff that is not obvious, so I think it perfectly reasonable to request more data. But maybe that’s just me.
85, Lets just say a repeat drunk drivers (for sake of argument I’ll say he’s had only 3) is given time to serve. He didn’t kill anybody in any of his DUIs or cause harm as the great job the law enforcement does caught him before he could. 3 times. So he’s released because a judge gave him a sentence of a year and he served 3 months plus time served and they let him out. Well he’s so happy he’s out, he goes and celebrates by getting hammered and then drives to go home and kills a family of 5.
I understand your come back to that argument: He would get out after his time is served. Well, the loved ones of the family of 5, I’m not a lawyer and don’t pretend to be one, would sue the Governor and the state and does 1 to a trillion. Even if the state gets a defense verdict, imagine the legal fees it would cost the state. That’s just one thing I could think of. NOw times that by 20 thousand. That’s the exposure he’s opening up.
I have already told all my relatives to get out of CA. It is going the way of Detroit, with a Latin flair. And we are Hispanic.
Like I said. born and raised here and my wife and I have all our family here. Besides, still playing the W.C. games. (thanks again Arnold) Just got Retirement stuff finalized three weeks ago, back-dated to Feb. 15th. Hello back pay.
I guess they’ve never heard of the term “opportunity cost” in Arnieville. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the long-run cost of releasing 20,000 convicted criminals back into society. Can’t believe that would even be considered. Message is clear though : you work hard and pay taxes, you get jack. You flaunt the law as a criminal : get free board and lodgings and early release. Nice one.
What’s wrong with this? What’s wrong with letting criminals out of prison upwards of two years early REGARDLESS of what they are in prison for? It doesn’t matter one iota what they are in prison for. I don’t care if it was for repetitive urinating on a dumpster outside Apu’s Quick-E-Mart or spitting on the sidewalk. They brole the law, they were arrested, tried by a judge and found guilty by a jury of their peers and sentanced to prison according to the Rule of Law which is what this country is ruled by. There is no reason for them to be released. They are not being released for good behaviour. They are not being released because they have seen the errors of their ways and thusly will return to society new men who have renounced their criminal ways, never again to commit crimes. They have not been rehabilitated. In fact, by cutting their prison sentances short by upwards of two years, they are cutting theri rehailitation, and thus cutting their mental health treatments their psychological treatments, their meds if needed etc. short by two years. They are doing NO ONE…that’s right, not even these convicts…a favor in the least.
Having a budget short fall is the WORST excuse to release these convicts bacl out into society.
If you cannot see why releasing convicts back out into the public before they have seved their time, before their debt to society has been paid, before justice has been served, before the victims have had their justice metted out, then I worry about where your moral compass is pointed. I worry for you and where you draw the line between right and wrong, good and bad. Why should we even have lesser crimes at all? If it doesn’t warrant 15 years to life, why even bother putting these criminals in prison at all?
Heck, the police don’t even really bother with some crimes all ready. Get your house broken into? Car broken into? Bike stolen? Car stolen? You might get a call within 24 hours to have someone take a report over the phone simply for insurance purposes, but as far as anyone actually looking for your vehicle or any of your stolen property? Forget it. As far as spending a great deal of time looking for murder suspects? Well, unless you are a cute, teenage white chick from an affluent family that plays well on FOX News with Greta, it ain’t gonna happen. My buddy was murdered back in May. Ask me if they are really doing anything to find his killer. He was an almost 40 year old 6′5″ over 300lb guy. They didn’t really give him much play on TV, let alone months of exposure on Greta, but the cute girl that was murdered the next day sure got the air play.
So where do you draw the line at who stays in prison buddy? Hmmm? Or maybe you think that they all didn’t get a fair trial anyway? After all, cops are corrupt, courts are corrupt, they are all racist, just trying to keep the brother man down and crap like that.
I work in a So Cal DA office. These inmates are not from county jails but from the state prison system…you only get THERE on really serious stuff. Around the office there is a lot of guffawing over this… we want to know what magic crystal ball Gov Arnold is going to use to figure out just which are the “non-violent” 22,000 who won’t offend again.
If he wants to balance the budget, he needs to backoff the “healthcare” issue.
tgillian
suck up more federal tax dollars than any other state
Rant all you want but please don’t lie. California sends more dollars to the Feds then we receive back.
They think they’re going to save billions, but what about the crime wave that’s going to happen afterwards? Have any of the pencil pushers factored that in yet? In his Hollyweird movies, Arnold Schwarzenegger always gets his man; in reality he lets them go to commit more crimes.
OK everyone take a breath and calm down, The Sacramento Bee clip doesn’t begin to tell the whole story about the prison situation in CA – it is far more complicated than this clip reveals.
For the last 5 years California has been under a federal court mandate to improve its prison system with respect to inadequate medical care for inmates and prison overcrowding. Despite spending billions of dollars annually ($9.9B in 2007-2008) and a recently approved $15B bond issue for prison construction, CA is not meeting the requirements of the court mandate. In July 2007 a 3 judge panel ruled CA was in violation prisoners’ constitutional rights and if immediate improvement was not seen then the federal government would take over and administer the CA prison system. First on its order of business would be implementation of a prison population cap.
“The state’s 33 prisons currently house more than 172,000 inmates in space designed for barely half that population. More than 16,000 prisoners sleep in dayrooms, classrooms, gyms and other spaces that Tilton wants returned to inmate rehabilitation activities.”
http://realcostofprisons.org/blog/archives/2006/08/ca_billions_in.html
“Total cost of corrections spending would grow from $8.2 billion this year to $12.6 billion in 2015 if every part of the proposal is adopted, although corrections costs will likely grow more than that due to new spending that is being ordered by federal judges overseeing parts of the prison system, such as mental health care.
Tilton said the system will completely run out of space by next summer if no new room is created. But he also said the plan does address the fact that 70 percent of California inmates return to prison. Tilton said the re-entry facilities the governor is proposing would work with inmates about to be released from prison by providing programs such as mental health care or job counseling as they leave the system and while they are on parole and would be aimed at helping inmates avoid future returns to incarceration.”
http://realcostofprisons.org/blog/archives/2006/08/ca_billions_in.html
CA admits that its current plans if fully implemented would reduce male inmate population by only 200 prisoners by March 2009 on a net basis.
Just yesterday I visited my nephew in a high security prison in CA where he has 7 years remaining on his sentence and spent 5 hours discussing with him what prison is like.
Despite nye123me’s comments, it is not an experience anyone writing on this board would want to live. Does he have a TV – yes; he bought it himself. He also has a CD player with a built in radio. He is allowed to have 12 CDs, but no DVDs. He has pencils and pieces of paper but no access to a typewriter let alone a computer or word processor. He is allowed to receive books, but only 2 at a time. He may get one package every three months from the outside, and it may contain only certain permitted items. Any money sent to him has 45% removed from it before being deposited into his account for the commissary. He does get 3 meals a day, but think gray, ground up meat, a piece of bread, mushy vegetables and milk. We were allowed to buy him a frozen chicken sandwich and a frozen burrito from a vending machine in the visiting room. He said that was the best tasting food he had in the past 6 months.
He shares his one man 4’x8’ concrete cell with another inmate sleeping in stacked bunk beds. He is allowed out of his cell daily to go to “the yard”. He lives in fear of violence from other prisoners.
What DOESN’T he have? A job or any training program. Vocational courses. Transition training for re-entering the world. Classes of any kind. Counseling – while available is shall we say perfunctory and not particularly useful or enlightening – certainly NOT the $300 per hour type mentioned. He would like to enroll in college level correspondence courses, but the “education clerk” was transferred to another prison and there is nobody to ask about how to proceed. Both the gym and day room are filled with triple stacked bunk beds for “low risk” inmates. Those inmates don’t get to have TVs and their personal items are constantly at risk of being stolen. These rooms are no longer available to the remaining inmates.
He is not complaining – he is just stating that all these things make it that much harder for those inmates determined to come out better than they went in. He accepts the fact that he deserves being there and has been inspirational to me in how he has already changed mentally and spiritually. He sets a daily goal to do something that will make his life a bit better, and longer term goals to be a valuable member of society upon his release.
He isn’t eligible for the release program, but with 20,000 fewer prisoners would the state do a better job of rehabilitating those remaining inmates? Absolutely.
What about me? I am a lifelong Orange County law and order conservative who was happy when my nephew was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He agrees that he must pay his debt to society and the punishment fits the crime. I just know that this “kid” has the desire to turn his life around and that as a society we would be better off with him and all the other inmates getting some help in making that come true. If we can achieve that through providing early release for 20,000 low risk inmates, then that is fine with me.
in-awe
I understand was that the CA state prison system is inadequate at this time… however, approximate 15% of CA’s state prison population are illegal aliens … county jails have even higher percentages.
I’m glad your nephew is hanging tough to not repeat his bad judgement when he comes out but do you think he is the rule or an exception?
I agree that dealing with the illegal aliens in the prison system is a major issue. I am a staunch advocate of sealing the border and finding a way to sharpl;y reduce the number of illegals in the US. That is a long-term project and we have the current reality of overcrowded prisons and jails today.
Unfortunately, this week a federal court ruled that illegals are entitled to serve their sentences in CA prisons, rather than being deported and serving their sentences in Mexican prisons. So, our hands are tied in that regard. The federal gov’t is reimbursing CA for a tiny fraction of the cost of incarcerating those prisoners - maybe the feds could be forced somehow to cough up more dough to at least help ease some of the $10B burden California’s taxpayers spend supporting illegals every year.
As for jails, in OC several cities and the Sheriff’s Dept desire to screen for illegals in the jails in order to deport them is opposed by the pro-illegal crowd. I’ll bet that the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in SF at some point will rule that activity is verboten, too. When even this commonsense approach shipping out bad guys is under attack, we are facing a major struggle to regain control of our nation and its borders.
I am certain prisoners run the across the full spectrum from wanting to do their time and get a fresh start to those who are so attached to the criminal / drug / gang life that they are just biding their time until they will be back at it with the additional “street cred” that comes from being an ex-con. What I am certain about, is that we should try to help the ones that are commited to doing the right thing.
There is a story about a man walking along a beach with his young daughter when they come across a starfish on the sand well above the water line. The man reaches down and tosses the starfish back into the ocean. The daughter says to her Dad “There are thousands of starfish, saving that one starfish doesn’t seem to matter…”. The Dad replies “It matters to the one we saved.”