Thread: California Governor Proposes $315 Million Prison Fix

California Governor Proposes $315M Prison Fix

SACRAMENTO, Calif. August 28, 2013 (AP)
By DON THOMPSON Associated Press



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 inmates to private prisons and empty county jail cells.

The cost could reach $700 million over two years, with much of the money likely to come from a $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 released some 46,000 inmates to comply with the court's orders and said only the most dangerous felons remain in state prison.

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

The court has found that lowering the inmate population is the best way to improve medical and mental health treatment within the prison system.

Yet releasing thousands of additional inmates is not wise, the governor said.
"It's not prudent. It's not consistent with public safety or the orderly administration of justice," he said.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/california-governor-proposes-315m-prison-fix-20087474

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Brown seeks $315M to avoid mass release of prisoners

Prison plan would avoid any releases, Brown says

Los Angeles Times 1 hour ago

Written by Chris Megerian

SACRAMENTO - California will not release a single inmate early to meet a court order to reduce prison crowding, Gov. Jerry Brown and top lawmakers pledged Tuesday. . .

August 29, 2013

California Assembly committee OKs prison expansion bill



The Assembly Budget Committee has approved an emergency measure that would send $315 million to move roughly 9,000 inmates to out-of-state facilities and leased prison spaces run by state employees by years' end.

The measure, Assembly Bill 105, doesn't cover costs for fiscal 2014-15 -- an estimated $415 million -- or beyond.

The Brown administration's proposal enjoyed support today from a number of law-and-order groups.

They noted that the state has already responded to federal court orders to reduce the prison population by sentencing more convicts to local jails.

"We've reached critical mass," said Ron Cottingham, president of Peace Officers Research Association of California.

Opponents, including the ACLU and inmates' rights organizations, blasted Brown's plan for spending money on more prison beds that could go to education, rehabilitation and programs for the poor.

Jim Lundberg of Friends Committee on Legislation in California, a Quaker-based group, said Brown's plan "is not a balanced approach" that ignores early release and parole options.

He feared a plan sold as a temporary fix would become a permanent fixture instead of a temporary fix.

"Why, once given this money, Lundberg said, "what would be the administration's motivation for giving it back?"

The budget committee approved the measure 21-0.

http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2013/08/california-assembly-committee-oks-prison-expansion-bill.html