 “They’ll be Back” |
LOS ANGELES (AFP) – A proposed plan to solve California’s budget crisis would reduce the state’s prison population by 27,000, it was reported Tuesday, as opposition to the new fiscal deal mounted.
The Los Angeles Times reported on its website that the budget deal, announced by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and bipartisan lawmakers on Monday, would involve the early release of thousands of inmates.
The Times said the reduction would be achieved through a combination of measures including allowing prisoners to finish their sentences on home detention and creating incentives for completion of rehabilitation plans. The prison inmate proposal would help save the state 1.2 billion dollars in the coming fiscal year, the Times reported. Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca meanwhile condemned the proposed state budget, telling the Times that cuts to local government would force authorities across the state to shut down jails or slash officers from street patrol.
“I think it is one thing to have a natural disaster… but it is another thing to have local cities and counties hit by a disaster predicated on the irresponsible actions of the state legislators,” Baca told the Times. California’s fiscal woes have deepened as the state reels under the effects of the recession, which have sent unemployment and home foreclosures soaring and state revenues plunging to levels not seen since the 1990s. The budget crisis has pushed the state to the brink of bankruptcy and forced California to start paying its bills with IOUs earlier this month.
Excellent idea!
So, if I think PMitchell is a brain dead ditto-head, do I call him that, or should I call him a poo-poo head, or call him a liberal?
Gee, political discussions are difficult when words can mean whatever you want them to.
I can see all the pot smokers, are being let loose.
After looking into this issue a bit further it becomes evident that the headline is a little bit misleading (what a surprise). The budget reduction to the prison system (one of the most expensive in the US due to a strong prison guards union in CA) may require a reduction of UP TO 27000 inmates out of the state prison system if some savings can not be found elsewhere in the prison system.
State officials believe that this can be done by turning over 8000 inmates who are illegal immigrants imprisoned for low level crimes to the Fed’s for deportation (yes they might come back, which is why serious offenders will not be released). In addition there are close to 6000 inmates who are aged or in-firmed who can be released to nursing home facilities (at a much lower cost to the state than prison). The remainder will be inmates with less than a year serve whom will be sent to county prison facilities.
It is my understanding that this is not unusual as State and County prisons sometimes interchange inmates to prevent overcrowding in county facilities. This will probably mean that some county prisons will then be over populated and will have to release some inmates, but hopefully these will then be the lowest level offenders (non-violent misdemeanors).
This is obviously not an ideal solution, but with the situation were in, we have to make the best of what we have.
Sorry, Helen Thomas has been ‘disappeared’.
well they need more tax abatements and tax cuts, because you can run government without money! 🙂
My My how all liberals rant and rave the same way. Would have hoped this site would have had drawn a better quality crowd, but as always…ya all won’t discuss points or ideas, just belittle the ones you disagree with.
And a little fyi, just to clarify what you already know;
Real republicans cut taxes, not raise them. The current CA governor is no more a republican than Ms.Snowe is
The term that describes this action is called RINO. Republican in Name Only
It’s a common ploy used by politicians on both sides to get themselves elected….cause no sane person ever elects a liberal who advertises what they really are.
Dukakis found that out a few years ago.
#36 – Rick’s Cafe – And a little fyi, just to clarify what you already know;
Real republicans cut taxes…
And let future generations pay for it.
McBain will put them all back in jail.
#39, ‘dro,
Contrary to what you might think, you do not qualify as a Right Wing Nut. You’re just an effen idiot. Sort of like Joe the Plumber or the former Governor of Alaska, all criticism and no ideas.
How is it that people who can be released (or put on home detention) are behind bars? They aren’t a threat to you or me (if so, they wouldn’t be in the group considered for release) but they are caged.
At the heart of this is the realization that caging people for non-violent crimes is a luxury (IMHO a perverted luxury).
In times of trouble we pull back from such luxuries, but of course when there’s money again we’ll take those who are no threat to anyone and put them behind bars. That’s what makes us a free country.
#21
Liberals repeat after me:
(More)Taxes = Bad
Deficits = Bad
Taxes in and of themselves are not bad. There is however a point of diminishing returns and we are long past that. If you think taxes are good, I’m more than happy to let you pay my share.
How is that the State with one of the largest per capita tax rates and the largest tax revenue cannot get by with what it has? CA does not have a revenue problem; it has a spending problem.
#42 Alfred1
Name the last president to reduce the size of the US federal government (~5000 employees)? That would be….Jimmy Carter!
You really are a crazy, apologist, nanny government, closet liberal.
I will simply give a bump to Post #1.
Ca has been over criminalizing its population for a long time. Thats no change in the last 5-10 years so as to bring on a deficit crises.
Is it “just” the accumulation of small yearly deficit programs that have finally amalgamated to a huge deficit and Legislature refuses to cut them all back?
“Usually” across the board cutting is a function of the cutter not knowing what to do.
“California to Release 27,000 Criminals To Ease Budget Concerns”
A new fund raising technique? Their motto: “Steal for the State!”