Instead of releasing prisoners, Gov. Brown wants to send them to private prisons

[n2doc]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday responded to a federal court order to significantly reduce California's prison population by proposing a $315 million plan to send thousands of inmates to private prisons and vacant county jail cells, hoping to avoid what he said would be a mass release of dangerous felons.

The cost could reach $700 million over two years, with much of the money likely to come from a $1.1 billion reserve fund in the state budget.

During a news conference at the Capitol, Brown bristled at the court's suggestion that the state could continue its early release of certain inmates to meet the federal judges' population cap. He noted that California has already reduced the prison population by some 46,000 inmates to comply with the court's orders and said only the most dangerous convicts remain in state prison.

The judges have ordered the state to release an additional 9,600 inmates by the end of the year.

Brown, however, said sending them to available cells in privately run prisons within California and in other states, as well as to empty jail cells, is the best way to meet the court's mandate without endangering public safety.

http://www.sfgate.com/news/crime/article/California-governor-proposes-315M-prison-fix-4765612.php

And the prison-industrial complex wins again! Wonder how much they contributed to moonbeam's campaign?

[NYC_SKP]

1. "Moonbeam" is a RW freeper name to use against the best governor California has ever had.

People unfamiliar with this state, now the EIGHT largest economy IN THE WORLD after having been only the twelfth, don't appreciate what Jerry Brown has done.

And they don't understand how government works, apparently.

There is a prison crowding problem, it FAR better to find temporary housing than it is to build new prisons.

Would you prefer building new prisons, is that what you want?

Unrec.

[KittyWampus]

2. Even Jerry Brown becomes a sell-out to DU'ers. Always just a matter of time.

[Recursion]

7. Because the problem is always the person

Never the fact that whoever the person is, they are presented with a very limited array of choices.

[KittyWampus]

9. Imagine if Elizabeth Warren became POTUS? I'd give her 3 months, tops.

[Cha]

17. Henpecking rules. Peck peck peck peck. You have to be fucking

perfect Gov Brown or you get called a rw slur - "Gov Moonbeam" on DU.

[davidn3600]

11. What I want is the prison population reduced

The fact Brown wants to just ship off inmates to the private prison industry is a signal he plans to do absolutely nothing to solve the long-term problem.

If California does not change its sentencing guidelines, it will be right back in the same position in a few years. Right now the way the laws are written, you will have an ever increasing prison population in that state until you get a politician that has a backbone to stand up to the people and say "we need to reduce sentencing." And if the people don't want to do that...then they are going to go bankrupt financing a prison state, and the private prison industry and its investors will make out like bandits.

[NYC_SKP]

12. It seems you're not from around this state or you have a poor grasp of the realities of governance.

As much as you, I'd like for him to pardon a hundred thousand or so nonviolent criminals, but there's a different process in achieving that goal.

History lesson for you: He pulled us out of bankruptcy and brought us from number 12 to number 8 in the world in terms of size of the economy.

We are now operating with a surplus.

Tell me more about how we're going to go bankrupt financing a prison state.

Explain that one.

[davidn3600]

13. Enjoy then....

Do whatever you want, man. You got a billion dollar surplus and you are going to use $700 mil of it to finance your prison industry....have fun. I hope it helps you feel safer at night.

We have WAY too many prisoners in this country. We incarcerate more people than any other country. And if you don't think that's a serious problem, then you and I are simply never going to agree on this issue.

[NYC_SKP]

15. I don't disagree on the need for reform. However, I trust Jerry Brown.

You simply can not do better this day and age than having Jerry Brown in town.

I remember his dad as governor, and I remember his first run.

Best governor you'll find.

[Raine]

16. As a Californian I totally agree with you. nt

[n2doc]

18. You don't know your history

His dad was 10x the man he is. And we were calling him moonbeam before the term freeper had even been dreamed of.
I would prefer that california reform its sentencing laws and release non violent drug offenders.

[NYC_SKP]

19. And I'd prefer single payer but you know what, we don't have a dictatorship.

You should know better, just as Obama isn't a king or dictator, neither is Jerry Brown.

He has to work with a legislature and a court.

Come on now.

[Safetykitten]

3. HE HAS THE MARK! The MARK of a soft on crime Democrat!...oh wait, not him...

He LEARNED his lesson.

Good Jerry, good Jerry, get a bone for that.

[Recursion]

4. And.... Jerry Brown was just called "moonbeam". On DU.

You know that was Reagan's insult, right?

[bhikkhu]

5. Jerry Brown has been one of the best governors in the country

in principle and practice. I think the important point is that he is trying to find the best way to avoid releasing felons. I don't think we're talking about minor offenses, pot possession and so forth.

In my area a couple of years ago there was a crisis in funding the county jail; three quarters of its capacity was shut down, and everyone not involved in violent crime was simply booked and released. It was a big mess, property theft became an increasing problem, drug crimes increased (meth around here), and the consequences were palpable. There was a feeling of it being "open season" for criminals; even if they were caught they'd be right back out the same day with little but a county court date (easily avoided) as a deterrent. That lasted about six months and everyone here remembers it.

So I'm sympathetic. If Brown says they have to find a way to hold people for the terms they've been sentenced to, I'm inclined to agree.

[REP]

6. Reducing overcrowding and not releasing dangerous felons sounds like a good plan to me

If these inmates are in less brutal conditions, the might be less dangerous when/if they are eventually released.

Brown has done a lot of good for this state.

[NYC_SKP]

8. Also, relieves crowding without building new prisons.

It's a smart move. And damn, he pulled us into a surplus in just a couple years!

I'm not happy about the peripheral tunnel to send water south, however. Been fighting that one for over 40 years.

[davidn3600]

10. Anyone that favors private prisons is not a progressive...period

The idea that we are going to pay a private company to be in charge of taking people's rights and warehousing them is atrocious. There is zero rehabilitation in these private facilities because the only thing they care about is profit. In the end, a move to privatization will lead to a less safe society and higher recidivism.

We have 5% of the global population but house 25% of the world's prisoners. Something has to change....

[Warren DeMontague]

14. How about they start by releasing the sick grannies in there for growing pot?

I guess that's too "radical"

[Heywood J]

20. Does CA have _that_ many murderers, rapists and other "dangerous felons"?

Sounds like a dangerous place to visit.