Posted on 12/21/2006 4:08:02 PM PST by NormsRevenge
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Thursday he will seek a review of California's prison sentencing guidelines, a politically risky undertaking that is part of a wide-ranging plan to address the state's burgeoning prison crisis.
The governor also is proposing an $11 billion building program to add space for thousands of additional inmates and changes to the state parole system.
Schwarzenegger characterized the state's prisons as in crisis and "in deep need of reform."
"My administration inherited a system that was dangerously overcrowded, poorly managed and out of control," he said during a Capitol news conference to release his plan. "Now we are at the point where if we don't clean up the mess, the federal court is going to do the job for us. As governor, I cannot let that happen."
His proposals come as pressure is mounting on the administration to fix a system widely seen as dysfunctional and dangerous to both inmates and guards.
Federal courts have taken authority over many aspects of prison operations, from inmate health care to treatment of the mentally ill. Judges have threatened to reach into the state treasury if lawmakers fail to fix the problems.
Last week, a federal judge gave the administration a June deadline to ease crowding that is aggravating violence, suicides and poor inmate health care. If it fails to meet it, the courts could order inmates to be released early or cap the prison population.
"Either we do it or the federal courts are going to step in and do it," said Sen. George Runner of Lancaster, the Senate's Republican Caucus chairman.
But he said many conservatives are concerned about Schwarzenegger's call to create a commission to review sentencing.
"We think the answer is incarceration for a longer term, not a shorter time," Runner said.
Schwarzenegger proposed a 17-member commission that would include four legislators, the attorney general, the corrections secretary, a judge and representatives of law enforcement and crime victims' groups. They would serve four-year terms.
Commissioners would spend their first year examining whether California's mandatory three-year parole period could be safely shortened for some ex-convicts.
Critics questioned whether the commission would be capable of proposing significant reform because it will not have authority to make changes in the law and its membership tilts heavily toward police, prosecutors and victims' relatives.
California has ignored previous sentencing reform reports and doesn't need another study group, said Rose Braz, a spokeswoman for Californians United for a Responsible Budget. The coalition of 40 prison reform groups sees Schwarzenegger's plan as nothing more than another "building extravaganza" that does nothing to ease crowding immediately, Braz said.
Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, said sentencing and parole reform should be part of any prison construction package.
Schwarzenegger proposed a 17-member commission that would include four legislators, the attorney general, the corrections secretary, a judge and representatives of law enforcement and crime victims' groups. They would serve four-year terms.
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These are NOT boxes,, mind you.
How tough is it to lock people up and throw away the key? Prison reform means pension extravaganze out here. What a joke.
Whoever suggested a recall better shift into high gear before the executive branch is lost in a civil uprising.
Getting rid of the illegals would be a good start, governator....Spend the frikkin' 11 billion dollars on that!
FMCDH(BITS)
17 members. Now Arnold has the right idea. You see, the only problem with the ISG and 911 commissions was that there just weren't enough members!
Schwarzenegger prison-reform plan at a glance
The Associated Press
http://www.pe.com/ap_news/California/CA_California_Prisons_Glance_267967C.shtml
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is asking state lawmakers to approve a commission to review California's sentencing laws, along with $11 billion to add 78,000 beds in state prisons and county jails. Some details about his proposals:
SENTENCING
The sentencing commission would:
_ Consist of 17 members appointed by the governor who would serve four-year terms.
_ Include four legislators, the attorney general, the corrections secretary, a judge and representatives of law enforcement and crime victims' groups.
_ Make recommendations to lawmakers on existing sentencing laws and new legislation affecting sentences.
_ Consider shortening California's mandatory three-year parole period.
_ Report annually to lawmakers.
SPENDING
State prison spending would include:
_ $4.4 billion to add 16,238 beds at existing prisons and build smaller community prisons for 5,000 to 7,000 inmates.
_ $1 billion on facilities for 10,000 sick or mentally ill inmates.
County jail spending would include:
_ $4.4 billion to add 50,000 beds at local jails.
_ $1.1 billion from counties in matching funds.
_ Half the beds allotted for juveniles or short-term adult inmates who now go to prison.
PAROLE
_ The sentencing commission would spend its first year considering shortening California's mandatory three-year parole period, the longest in any state.
_ Schwarzenegger says fewer parolees would mean parole agents could increase their supervision of those who most need it, such as sex offenders.
I'll bet she wouldn't take any sudden parolees into her home.
Arnold's already shipping prisoners out of state for short term ease of crowding. He tried this year to get a prison bond measure on the ballot. Where was Braz?
Deportation of the Mexican nationals in our prison is only worth doing if we have secure borders to keep them from coming back to commit the crimes Americans don't want to do.
I'd love it if we could get Mexico to house them in jail for their sentences. I think we have a deal with Israel that will allow their citizens to serve terms in their prisons instead of in America.
Oh, great! Another commission!
Gloria Romero, Jerry Brown and "crime victims groups" will "reform" our system. This is going to be jusssssssst peachy!
Why don't the counties pay for ALL of this?
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