Will prison reform survive?By Tim Redmond
The governor agreed to cut $1.2 billion out of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilition budget this summer, but ducked the tough question of how to do it, leaving that up to the Legislature -- which also can't quite reach an answer. A moderate, watered-down bill that Speaker Karen Bass pulled together scraped through the Assembly, but is stuck, like so many other bills, in battles over the final language. As Brian at Calitics puts it:
The Assembly plan doesn't have enough cost savings (or enough spine) and the Senate seems reluctant to pull the trigger on a half measure
Some weak Democrats, including Fiona Ma, refused to vote for the moderate bill, and now the Senate leaders are saying they want a stronger bill, which gives some of them a reason to vote against it. It takes political courage (and common sense) to recognize that most inmates are getting out anyway, and that early, supervised releases of nonviolent prisoners isn't going to harm the public in any way.
So if nothing happens here, we'll be stuck this fall with a big problem: A $1.2 billion hole in the state budget, and no plans to fix it.
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Comments (5)
Prison reform is attainable if the legislature would just follow the advice of the studies which it ordered months and years ago. All of which show that rehabilitation is the key to avoid recidivism and therefore lower the crime rate and the prison population. The statistics prove that prisoners who do NOT serve their full sentence integrate better into society. It proves that the absurd lengthy sentences imposed in California are counter productive. Humans, put into close confinement in punishing, hopeless situations come back as damaged people. It does not come as a surprise that the overcrowding in a sick and punitive system, produce riots. We desperately need sentencing reform. It is high time to release many of our men and women who pose not threat. Examine their record in and out of prison and make sure they have outside support. We need brave action, to stand up to the fear mongering law enforcement and the politicians it pays.
There is one fail safe option to reduce at least some of the overcrowding and that is to approve the International Prisoner Transfers which the Board of Prison Terms almost always denies. As a taxpayer I say that makes NO SENSE. Think about it!
Posted by formaya | September 11, 2009 06:44 PM
Redmond wrote, "Prison reform is attainable if the legislature would just follow the advice of the studies which it ordered months and years ago."
True enough. But first, the pols must deal with the all-powerful prison guards' union. Even if they manage to do that, the most likely outcome is that they'll opt to waste another $2 million or so on another study.
Posted by Gino Rembetes | September 12, 2009 12:26 AM
Redmond wrote, "Prison reform is attainable if the legislature would just follow the advice of the studies which it ordered months and years ago."
True enough. But first, the pols must deal with the all-powerful prison guards' union. Even if they manage to do that, the most likely outcome is that they'll opt to waste another $2 million or so on another study.
Posted by Gino Rembetes | September 12, 2009 12:27 AM
Redmond wrote, "Prison reform is attainable if the legislature would just follow the advice of the studies which it ordered months and years ago."
True enough. But first, the pols must deal with the all-powerful prison guards' union. Even if they manage to do that, the most likely outcome is that they'll opt to waste another $2 million or so on another study.
Posted by Gino Rembetes | September 12, 2009 12:28 AM
Thank you for the information.
We need an overhaul of our criminal justice system. The unreasonably long sentences; unjust parole denials for serious offenders who are not, or no longer are, dangerous; replacing mental hospitals with prison time; and the broken, overwhelmed parole system is not sustainable, and it waste salvageable lives while not making us safer.
We must begin evaluating individuals for sentencing and punishment. Had that been in place, perhaps the man who kidnapped Jaycee would still be in prison, while many salvageable ex-offenders could be released and stop costing us $49,000 a year each.
The present big business of prisons is bankrupting California, the state of "higher incarceration".
Posted by Pray4Peace | September 12, 2009 10:43 AM