Thread: CA-CA SENATE: PRISONS CARRY WEIGHT FOR FEDS

CALIFORNIA PRISONS CARRY WEIGHT FOR FEDS

States News Service
January 26, 2010
SACRAMENTO, CA

The following information was released by the California State Senate, Republican Caucus:

In his recent State of the State address, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger addressed our fiscal deficits.

He lamented the fact that on his watch, the budget for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has doubled. He waxed poetically,

What does it say about a state that focuses more on prison uniforms than caps and gowns?

Moreover, the Governor is tired of California being a donor state.

Recent estimates suggest that California gets back only 78-cents for every tax dollar sent to Washington.

His answer? We need to work with the federal government to build a more fair and equitable financial relationship.

We couldn't agree more.

One obvious place to start has been staring California in the face for years illegal immigrants in our state prisons.

While in Washington DC this week, he should be sure to include this important issue in his discussions with federal leaders.

The problem of criminal illegal aliens is the proverbial elephant in the room.

It is one of the least talked-about, most important issues in reducing prison expenditures without compromising public safety.

In 2005, an authoritative study by the Government Accountability Office estimated that there are 74,000 illegal immigrants incarcerated in U.S. state prisons.

More than 30,000 of these criminal illegal aliens are inside California state prisons, placing an additional strain on our already overburdened system.

Since the federal government is constitutionally-charged with controlling our borders, criminal illegal aliens should be in federal prisons.

But for these 30,000 alien felon inmates, Californias incarceration rate would fall below the national average.

One out of every six inmates in our state prisons is here illegally.

And California taxpayers pay dearly for that ignominious distinction.

Governor Schwarzenegger is failing to connect the dots.

Just last month, Congress under the direction of the Obama administration agreed to cut $70 million from the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, or SCAAP, which provides funding to states and localities to help offset the high costs of incarcerating criminal illegal aliens.

These cuts could cost California more than $16 million in federal reimbursements.

Where does that leave California taxpayers?

Holding the bag for the federal government. We are stuck.

We cannot free these dangerous prisoners back into our communities, yet we are being given fewer resources to keep them incarcerated.

When the Governor talks about spending more on caps and gowns and less on prison uniforms, he should start right here and demand 100% compensation for housing federal prisoners.

Most importantly we must remember that although Californias corrections system is in need of reform, it is very effective in keeping the most dangerous criminals off our streets.

Over the past ten years, our states prison inmate population has become increasingly violent.

As the total inmate population has increased just four percent, the percentage of inmates incarcerated for crimes against persons (murder, robbery, assault, battery, rape or kidnapping) has increased by 34 percent.

In contrast, the number of inmates serving sentences for drug possession has decreased 37 percent.

Today, over 80 percent of Californias male inmates are serving sentences for crimes against persons or crimes that are aggravated by prior felony convictions.

So when the Governor talks about reining in prison costs, it should mean ridding our prison system of things like a Cadillac health care system and receiving fair compensation from the federal government for housing the criminal illegal aliens.

It should not mean releasing prisoners or compromising public safety.

Californians deserve no less.

http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/En ... 09&start=2

The feds have never taken responsibility for anything except getting more money out of taxpayers to throw onto projects that have nothing to do with protecting the American people from this onslaught of illegal foreign criminal elements. Or the onslaught of continually rising joblessness for taxpayers, or ....

I really do not understand how in one breath Ca cities can scream "Sanctuary and " Ahnold is happy "They are using services"

Then when their little pets bite them they they seem surprised and scream for federal help?

Seems to me common sense would tell me that if they just flat deported all of them before they committed any crimes everyone would be safer and it wouldn't cost so much?

How many American families have been broken up because one of these criminals murdered a family member?

This is a case where they want it both ways I think?

Send em all home.

[quote="Waiter"] . . .Seems to me common sense would tell me that if they just flat deported all of them before they committed any crimes everyone would be safer and it wouldn't cost so much? . . . quote]

No City, County or State Law Enforcement Officer or Agency can deport anyone.

Only the Federal Government can deport people because Immigration is a Federal responsibility.

If the Federal Government had secured the border after the Reagan Amnesty in 1986, like they promised to do, there wouldn't be any illegal aliens in California prisons, or the prisons of any other state.

RELATED

San Bernardino County wants feds to cover cost of illegal immigrant incarceration

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-186794.html