Prison system reform pledged - Governor Retains Watchdog Agency, Removes Wardens

Mercury News ^ | 2/7/04 | Mark Gladstone

[NormsRevenge]

SACRAMENTO - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday promised a broad shake-up of California's troubled corrections system, starting with phasing out wire-mesh cages for youthful inmates and reversing his plan to scale back the state's prison watchdog agency.

The governor also removed wardens at two prisons and requested a federal inquiry into whether top prison officials covered up a probe of a 2002 gang riot at Folsom Prison.

[Glenn]

Arnie should take a page out of Ron's playbook: Break the unions by whatever means required.

[NormsRevenge]

lockyer isn't involved in the investigation,, hmmm.

[ambrose]

You don't think Lockyer would cross his Rat union cronies?

[calcowgirl]

Two wardens -- Scott Rawers at Avenal and Michael Yarborough at Lancaster -- were also ousted from their jobs.

Bob Martinez, a corrections spokesman, said Yarborough will be reassigned when he returns from a vacation. He said Rawers chose to retire instead of being reassigned. Likewise, he said, Diana Butler, who was removed in December, had chosen a similar retirement option at Folsom Prison.

So were they "removed"/"ousted"... or just allowed to retire? The former implies some guilt or responsibility for which corresponding punishment would be expected. Instead, it sounds like they are allowed to retire with their newly enhanced pension benefits. Did they also qualify for the early-retirement-incentive package that was recently passed? Just a little accountability would be nice, doncha think? (Assuming, of course, they are responsible for the misdeeds).

[NormsRevenge]

This is the part that will be very interesting to see play out.

It is likely that the demRats will attempt to drag this out as long as they can, what with a November election coming that could be pivotal for this state and its direction in the future. The union money flowed like water and left water stains on all of 'em. ;-}

I don't even want to think about 2006 at this point as I don't think any of the demRats in that race today will be standing in 2 years for much of anything.