Judges Order Thousands Of Calif. Inmates Freed

[dbackjon]

Semi-misleading headline...

A special panel of federal judges tentatively ruled Monday that California will have to release tens of thousands of inmates to relieve overcrowding over the next several years.

The judges said no other solution will improve conditions so poor that inmates die regularly of suicides or lack of proper care.

The panel said it wants the state to present a plan to trim the population of the nation's largest state prison system in two to three years.

"There are simply too many prisoners for the existing capacity," they wrote in a 10-page order. "Evidence offered at trial was overwhelmingly to the effect that overcrowding is the primary cause of the unconstitutional conditions that have been found to exist in the California prisons."

The three judges did not set a final population figure, but suggested a target of between 100,800 and 121,000 inmates down from the current population of about 158,000. More inmates are housed in conservation camps, community correctional facilities and private prisons in other states.

http://cbs5.com/local/prison.inmate.rel ... 31045.html

[travelinman67]

Semi-misleading headline...

A special panel of federal judges tentatively ruled Monday that California will have to release tens of thousands of inmates to relieve overcrowding over the next several years.

The judges said no other solution will improve conditions so poor that inmates die regularly of suicides or lack of proper care.

The panel said it wants the state to present a plan to trim the population of the nation's largest state prison system in two to three years.

"There are simply too many prisoners for the existing capacity," they wrote in a 10-page order. "Evidence offered at trial was overwhelmingly to the effect that overcrowding is the primary cause of the unconstitutional conditions that have been found to exist in the California prisons."

The three judges did not set a final population figure, but suggested a target of between 100,800 and 121,000 inmates down from the current population of about 158,000. More inmates are housed in conservation camps, community correctional facilities and private prisons in other states.

http://cbs5.com/local/prison.inmate.rel ... 31045.html

The judges smoke crack. This is another textbook CA political football lobbed out by the CA Correctional Peace Officers Association, one of the largest lobbyist unions in CA.

The solution that will be offered by the leftislature is more low-medium security prison construction and more guards hired. They won't privatize unless the CCPOA gets a sweetheart lock on representation. Just more wasted taxpayer dollars. Truth is, CA's inmates are some of the most pampered and cared for inmates in the U.S.

Once again, Californian's lose.

[dbackjon]

How about not lock up so many non-violent pot-smokers

[travelinman67]

How about not lock up so many non-violent pot-smokers

In re: non-violent offenses: You're more apt to be charged with a felony bench warrant for Failure to Appear on a misdemeanor traffic violation or willful refusal to pay child support (working for under the table pay), than use of any controlled substances. Moreso, since mere possession is only a misdemeanor, unless sales are involved, sentencing CANNOT include prison time (unless it's also a parole violation, in which case, they're parole is "violated" and they're returned to a low security facility or contracted county jail for generally no more than 12 months.). In CA, the belief that the prisons contain non-violent drug users is 100% myth. Dealers, yes. Users, no.

[D1B]

How about not lock up so many non-violent pot-smokers

In re: non-violent offenses: You're more apt to be charged with a felony bench warrant for Failure to Appear on a misdemeanor traffic violation or willful refusal to pay child support (working for under the table pay), than use of any controlled substances. Moreso, since mere possession is only a misdemeanor, unless sales are involved, sentencing CANNOT include prison time (unless it's also a parole violation, in which case, they're parole is "violated" and they're returned to a low security facility or contracted county jail for generally no more than 12 months.). In CA, the belief that the prisons contain non-violent drug users is 100% myth. Dealers, yes. Users, no.

Agree. The solution is to legalize drugs.

[BigApp]

Once again, Californian's lose.

no, they don't. They're getting the government they vote for. I say release them all (with the Gitmo's) into downtown San Francisco.