Posted on 02/15/2010 4:42:37 PM PST by SmithL
The fury unleashed in Sacramento over the early releases of a couple hundred inmates has set the stage for a more massive but less detectable state prisoner population shift about to unfold.
By the end of the year, another 6,300 offenders from Modoc to San Diego who otherwise would have been behind prison bars will instead be on the streets – and the debate already is raging on the public safety fallout.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration, which pushed for the bill that led to the prison population reduction to save money in a cash-strapped state, contends the legislation will make the state safer. More parole supervision time will be reserved for the truly dangerous, a prison agency spokesman said, and more inmates will complete more rehabilitation programs to smooth their transition into free society – even if it comes six weeks earlier than their sentences had prescribed.
"What you really have is a changing California parole structure that is really unprecedented," the corrections department's Oscar Hidalgo said. "It allows our agents to focus on the highest-risk parolees, which increases public safety. As far as the earned credits, we're asking inmates to complete programs that have proven helpful to success on the outside, such as getting a GED or learning a trade."
Law enforcement and victims' rights groups counter that the bill that enabled the upcoming offender population shift from inside to out is a high-risk move. They say that police budgets slashed as a result of depressed local economies will mean fewer street cops available to cope with increased numbers of so-called lesser-risk offenders such as car thieves, drunken drivers and spousal abusers.
"The legislation was based on a lie that the prisons are filled with low-level offenders who pose no real threat to public safety,
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
“fewer street cops available to cope with increased numbers of so-called lesser-risk offenders such as car thieves, drunken drivers and spousal abusers.”
That’s the ticket all right.
9,500 businesses have closed in the Sacramento area thanks to the Liberal fools in the California Assembly and the head fool, Arnold.
Cut elementary and high school administrator and teacher salaries! Cut human services! DON’T PUT FELONS BACK OUT ON THE STREETS!!!!!
Why bother arresting people?
How many will be returned to Mexico?
Speaking from Michigan I gotta say I like it better than the plan to ship them here and pay us with an IOU.
That said, there’s something seriously wrong in America.
trim all state payrolls, layoff the unnecessary bureaucrats.
What is it with foreign born governors?
Schwarzenegger and Granholm are like kindred souls.
hope and change looks kinda funny, doesn’t it? Just like global warming does when there’s 3 feet of snow on the ground.
Joe Arpaio, next door in Arizona, has the answer with his tent cities for prisoners. They cost just a fraction of brick prisons, and by international law are *not* inhumane, because they are like military field conditions.
The irony is that a lot of these Californicators are going to travel to, or at least through Arizona, and end up in Joe’s tent cities when they try to raise a few extra bucks by holding up some unarmed grandmother in Phoenix.
Of course, if that grandmother *is* armed...
Well, imho there are too many things that have been made illegal, however this release is just stupid.
CA is in a massive recession, these folks are not really employable, chances are good that recidivism will be even worse than the normally absurdly high levels we see today.
fundamental dereliction of state responsibility. Public Safety should trump public pensions...always.
IL’s Gov Quinn just did early release of an aquaintance in Hangover Park, IL who served 3 months of a 1 year sentence for repeat drunk driving and a crash with no other people or vehicles involved. He had managed to be on the wagon for 18 months. Odds are he’ll not be a danger to society for another 18 months, at which time he’ll fall of the wagon and be dangerous to society again.
What are they doing to ensure the illegals go home?
Societal collapse is one of thier primary tools in bringing this country down. Allowing prisoner release when these criminals politicians took and oath to protect the citizen and family from danger inside and out IS DERELICT OF DUTY AND AN IMPEACHABLE OFFENCE. THIS GOES FOR ZERO TOO.
Sub out incarcerations to India. Use one of their tech centers to set up video links for visitors.
I guarantee this kind of thing will go nationwide as long as the librats are in power.
Criminals are mainly ‘rat voters.
cut teacher salaries=stupid idea
Teachers are already paid so little (i know as a new CA teacher)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.