Why Prison Reform Doesn’t Happen

Senator Speier was one of the better politicians and there's a lot right about what she has to say here in recommending actual reform. But there's a number of "wrong" points as well.

They are putting GPS devices on even low level offenders which are like a big red "A" to potential employers. Psychologically these are a huge ball and chain for anyone marked with them. I can see high risk offenders getting these but for the rest it interferes with their ability to find work critical for their own survival

One thing that the news is not mentioning is that when the batteries start to get low, they "shock" or "sting" the person wearing them. Very inconvenient if a person happens to be at work on a construction site not to mention embarrassing!

This is like putting shackles on someone and then throwing them into the ocean with "swim or drown" attitude. This is a complete waste of money to be putting these on low level offenders. It would be smarter to give the parole the $10 a day or whatever it costs so they could buy food at least.

The government officials are out of touch with the people and they do not understand poverty as a key root of crime

The 27000 mentally ill people should be moved completely out of the prison system - out of the criminal justice system. They should be in healing environments in hospitals those who are criminally insane and violent.

The terminally ill and frail elderly need to be released. Why should we as taxpayers pay to punish the very sick who are no longer a threat to society. How ridiculous to encourage building huge hospitals for people who could be home dying with diginity with their families.

The federal government could assume some of these costs because SSI comes from social security, the largest part of it. As long as the prisoners are incarcerated they can't get this money. Free up the beds for younger, more violent criminals

Much more could be done with prevention of substance abuse and mental illness. Throw out the conveyor belt, one-size-fits-all sentencing laws, three strikes is a disgrace and there are no statistics anywhere that it has done one thing to reduce crime.

Elevate the healers in our society, not the bully punishers and stop the legislators from accepting money from the mob-like law enforcement labor unions including CCPOA.

Put people on these commissions that are anything BUT law enforcement. There is so much cronyism going on at every level of the criminal justice system that it has resulted in no justice at all.

Stop electing Republicans to office. They vote against everything that doesn't favor law enforcement labor unions. There are now 15 bad Democrats in office as well who are more concerned with their image than actually reducing crime through restorative justice, prevention, education and other more healing approaches that work better than the practice from the dark ages of locking sick people in cages and torturing them.

Take care of problems before they escalate and help people to become better citizens instead of destroying them for life in the hellhole prisons run by the State

Teachers should be paid far, far more than prison guards. The legislators have been a part of blocking reform and being unresponsive to desperate pleas for help.

Senator Speier did quite a bit but she was still too loyal to law enforcement labor unions and just couldn't quite bring herself to say the "R" words - release and rehabilitation.

How many prisoners that are contributing to this overcrowding are prisoners of the War on Some Drugs? Release them all, and stop incarcerating people for ALL nonviolent drug offenses. That should help quite a bit.

I remember around 10 years ago my criminal justice teachers warned that something like this was bound to happen because of all these new laws to get tough on crime. The Professors all argued there was no need, the crime rate was in a decline. Inmates use to do 50% of a sentence and receive 50% in good time credits as long as they followed the rules. This system was a great incentive for the inmates to follow the rules as well as kept the population down allowing for programs.

Why doesn't anyone want to revert back to this 50% system????
(Along with all of the ideas suggested above) There is definite need for hospitals for the sick and mentally ill.

We could then implement the ankle monitor for a period of time after their early release. A system for home monitoring is already in place at the county sheriff level. They would just need some extra officers and equipment. While being home monitored the inmate should have to report to some type of counseling like the Dui programs that are already in place too, just expand on them, these counseling programs are very good to keep someone on the right path. Also, the Sheriffs dept. drug tests its home monitored inmates once a week without fail. I think the frequent drug testing is key because most crimes revolve around drugs.

There will also need to be maybe a tax incentive to hire these people to keep them out of trouble. They will make great workers because the sheriff's dept won't allow them to be late or miss work without good cause. If they are working then the inmate will be able to contribute to the cost of the home monitering.

I will be thankful for any comment.

The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations needs leadership from outside the system. Hickman and Woodford were part of the problem(they continued to be affliated with the union after reaching management positions and benefited from the union's influence, in fact Woodford talked the Governor's people into supporting an enhanced retirement plan that guaranteed that experienced managers left the department). I love Arnold but giving supervisors and managers the 3% at 50 was stupid (call me Arnold for an economics lesson, Woodford pulled the wool over your eyes, unlike the female Terminator in T3). The Governor's plan to move inmates outside of the state, thus outside of the influence of CCPOA, is a good start, but it is unlikely that it will work due to the power of the union because of the dollars they control.

It affects us all; two wrongs don’t ever make a right! The prison crisis is due to punishment which in return creates hate, resulting in a no win situation for all. CCPOA definitely needs big brother watching and monitoring their motives and behavior. I don’t know what Gov. Schwarzenegger was thinking by the veto against the media access into California’s prisons.
The right thing would be in releasing the frail elderly to their families or convalescent homes along in taking the mentally ill inmate away from CDC. I have to agree with Ms Randall and M.L., this would save a tremendous amount of tax payers money. The mentally ill desperately need to be taken away from law enforcement into a healing environment; they are worsening due to cruel and unusual punishment. CDC is not a hospital, they don’t get that punishment doesn’t work with the disease of mental illness it worsens the state of mind, body and soul.
I know restorative action reform is the solution that would greatly affect the inmates along with society.
The mentality of fear will only worsen any situation, it’s time that legislative develop a back bone and stop trying to be” tough on crime” and start being “smarter on crime”. That type of ill thinking is why California prisons are in a state of emergency!!

What is the problem? Just repeal some of the sentencing laws that incarcerate low level offenders, deport illegals after they serve 50% of their sentence.

Reduce the salary of correctional employees. I'm sure there are millions of people just waiting to work in remote areas for 8-16 hours per day, every day with harden criminals that at any given moment, will shank you, beat you, kill you, throw feces and urine on you. Just hire security guards to man the institutitions at $35,000.00 per year. Watch out for the mad rush for applications

Realistically, the majority of convicts and parolees n California are transient, mentally disabled, functionally illiterate and are addicted to narcotics. Unfortunatley, theorectical studies and reserach do not reveal the true realities.

In 1-3 years, ithe paroe agent is expected to take the parolee and make that person productive and to undo the cumlative effects of drugs and crime in a society that generally does not accept them. with all things being equal, it is very difficut for most people to be sel sustaining in California.

Most empoyers that pay a sufficient salary to self sustain in the California economy reject felons when they report a previous felony on ther application. Assuming that there are enough resources to provide for educational growth or recovery from addiction, the rehabilitation method is only as good as the parolee's attitude and willingness to accept the assistance.

In other words, if the parolee does not want to kick the habit, they will not kick the habit. If a parolee chooses not to be educated then they will not be educated. It is assumed that these institutionalized persons want to be rehabilitated.

That generally does not occur until the inmate is on their third prison term and is tired of the game! By that time, we are talking about an individual that is 35-40 years old, has a 6th grade education, is bi-polar or psychotic, has been addicted to narcotics for 15 years and their criminal history is prohibitive for any sufficient employment oppotunities. Not to mention, this attempt at rehabilitation has to occur, say in Los Angeles or Oakland where the parolee typically have to live in low income, high crime areas where drugs are rampant.

In Los Angeles and most big cities, the parolee can walk outside the drug rehabilitation facilities and buy what ever drug they can afford. Now the legislature wants this rehabilitation accomplished without a threat of a return to custody as a sanction. If the parolee refuses to abide by their conditions of parole or referrals to community programs, then how do make them perform?

How many taxpayers are willing to hire a parolee to be a handyman at their house or enter their house to fix their plumbing. Raise your hands please because do not throw stones if you are not willing to fix the problem!

There are very few none profit drug rehabilitation centers that would be able to service the large parole population. There is no poitical will to create a comprehensive plan to deal with providing appropriate cost effective resources. Most paroees need residential treatment with structured programs.

For example, considering that cost factor and goals, Proposition 36 program is a million dollar, revolving door failure. Most Prop 36 failures are sentenced to new prison terms by the Superior Court.

How can we fix the prison overpopulation? Repeal laws that incarcerate drug offenses and property crimes as a sanction. Reform the attidude of police agencies in the enforcement of non-violent crimes. Build more mental hospitals for the mentally ill people that are convicted of non-violent crimes for hospitalization.

Separate the parole division from the Department of Corrections and create a parole department with a bureau of specialized agents in community resources and a bureau of enforcement for the monitoring of high risk parolee.

The new Department of Adult and Juvenile Parole Operations would partnerships with community social services and educational services to provide intensive services and rehabilitative programs. Redirect budgeted resources from rehabilitating adults to assisting at risk children to prevent them from being sentences to prison in the first place. You cannot deal the rehabilitation without dealing with prevention!!!

CCPOA is not the problem. They may just be a solution. If CDCR would listen. CCPOA is an orgianization made of prior correctional staff. They have been in the line of fire. Would you put a manager from McDonalds in charge of a School District? No, you would find a person with knowlegde regarding how a school system is ran, perferablly a former teacher who has spent time in a class room. That person would have first hand knowlegde of what works and what changes are really needed. The same can be said for corrections. Putting people in charge who have never had to work on a yard with 400 violent inmates is just stupid.
If you want change ask the people who know what is really going on. THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, SERGANTS, ect. The people who have to face these inmates daily. They are taxpayers just like everyone eles, they'd like to see CDCR save money, reduce repeat offenders, create a safe, healthy working envoriment. Have mentally ill inmates placed in special housing. You will never get rid of gangs, violent crimes, or drugs. You may however find solutions to help those inmates who want help. CCPOA is not the crimminal. They ask for compensation for officers who do a very difficult job. They want input of how thing are ran, so they can make sure officer safety is a consideration. Rehabilition is a good thing, if it is done correctly, and targets inmates who want to change. Officer safety should also be a main conern. What CCPOA provides for its members is a reminder to CDCR that correctional officers are a very important part of the system. Most correctional officers may only have a highschool diploma, but they have to be able to communicate with violent people 8-16 hours a day. They work face to face with serial killers, common murders, gang members, rapist, child molseters, con men, people most of you would cross the street to avoid if you knew what they had done. Correctional officers may not have a college education, but they are willing to work in a prison for a decent wage so they can provide a middel income living for thier families. Many C/O's are forced to work 16 hour days. CDCR can not hire enough staff now to run a prison correctly.
Without decent contracts that CCPOA provide, most people would not even consider a job working in a prison. CCPOA is no different they any other union. They want what is best for thier offiers, and they want a prison system that able to do a difficult job effectively. If you want to save money ask the personel (officers and free staff) what couold be done. They are the people that see what needs to be changed.

I have to tell you what is going on now in Canada so that Americans get hip to the tricks of the homophiles. The gays are desperately trying to bring back the hate motherhood thing with the old "Welfare Queen" propaganda. Why? Because they hate motherhood and the family! They also want a fresh supply of poor kids. They also want to take the heat off of themselves because of the recent Foley scandal and because of the damage homosexuals have done to society. Turns out, it was the homophiles who started that "welfare queen" crap in the first place! Ronald Reagan kowtowed to the homophiles of Hollywood, just as Governor Scharzenegger seems to be doing. The next thing that is going on in Canada is that the Canada Post union are refusing to deliver mail that the homophiles consider "hate" mail. That included Bible verses that condemn homosexuality. The only hate there is that the criminals HATE it when the People tell the Truth! The next thing going on in the news today in Canada is that an American pedophile living in Canada was recently released from his charges in the USA and given probation. The US authorities have given him permission to complete his probation in Canada. The Canadians are not too appreciative of this and are trying to deport him. The other thing going on in the front page news in Canada is that a pregnant mother was murdered and her baby stolen. This has never happened before in British Columbia, but it goes on all the time in California. Now get the real truth from a former social worker: I am a former social worker from California as is my colleague Marsha. It is time to let the world know the truth. During the time we worked for children’s services, families were broken up—children in the same family were split up, in many cases, babies were taken-chosen from the birth announcements.

The plan was to make the parents look incompetent or unstable. If the parents persisted in their efforts to regain custody, especially if they were single or poor, they were made to disappear----they were arrested and or incarcerated and later "taken care of". I was told that accidents could be arranged or hit men hired, but I quit shortly after being hired as I could not do these horrible things to people. Marin county, San Mateo county, and other counties south of San Francisco are leaders in this horrible industry. Parents disappear and the children are told their parents abandoned them. Use this information as you will. Something must be done to stop these people. These criminals have been selling children since 1977. Why not check out all the parents that have disappeared or died during the time their children go into foster care. Some leave the state or are involuntarily hospitalized and their death made to look like suicide.

The prison system will never be fixed until the State develops a total correctional system coordinating and planning process. The California correctional system [1] has been operating without coordination or a strategic plan for decades. It has been allowed to become a dysfunctional, out of balance system. None of the 60 county and state correctional agencies has the responsibility, authority or capacity to lead or coordinate the total system. System deficiencies will only continue to increase in size and complexity as long as the State fails to establish an independent, non-political planning and coordinating process.

Apparently the State is intent on building additional prison beds to reduce prison overcrowding without conducting a normal planning process. Available data indicates the shortage of county jail beds is the reason for prison overcrowding. As a consequence of the failure to construct needed county jail beds, offenders who historically would serve their short sentences in county jails now occupy 30,000 to 40,000 or more prison beds. There are now far more short-term offenders being released after serving a year or less in prison than there are offenders being released after serving more than a year in prison [2]. Building more prison beds will just push the system further out of balance.

If sufficient county jail beds were constructed, there would probably be a prison system with about 125,000 inmates and a jail system with about 125,000 inmates. This would return the system to the 50%/50% prison/county jail split that existed from the 1960’s to the mid 1980’s.

The shortage of county jail beds is also a major cause of the high parole revocation rates that are over 3 times the “expected” [3] rate. The high technical violation rate adds an unnecessarily a half billion ($.5 Billion) to annual state prison costs. This high return to prison rate could be reduced to a normal level if there were sufficient county jail bed space [4]. This potential savings could be applied to the cost of constructing additional jail beds.

One obvious way to establish an independent system-wide planning and coordinating agency would be to assign the function to an existing State agency, the Correctional Standards Authority (CSA). The CSA could be separated from the Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (DC&R) and a strong Executive Director position established. The current CSA board could be expanded to include individuals experienced in dealing with large systems and organizations and recognized correctional system experts from outside State government.

Effective system wide leadership could make the California correctional system into a national leader again. However, failure to engage in serious planning, and to continue to operate on an ad-hoc basis will doom it to remain an expensive, problem plagued non-system rather than an effective public safety asset.

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[1] The California correctional system includes county jails, probation and the prison system. It has an annual budget of about $10 billion, 70,000 full time staff and over 800,000 individuals under correctional control.

[2] In CY 2005 about 77% all releases to parole served less than 12 months in prison. Only 23% of all releases from prison served more than 12 months.

[3] “Expected” refers to the historical revocation rate in California and in other States.

[4] Prior to the jail bed shortage, parolees guilty of only technical violations could be held in local custody while the field agent & unit supervisor developed a community program placement for the violator. The shortage of jail beds resulted in transfer to prison awaiting a revocation hearing, almost always resulting in parole revocation.

The prison system will never be fixed until the State develops a total correctional system coordinating and planning process. The California correctional system [1] has been operating without coordination or a strategic plan for decades. It has been allowed to become a dysfunctional, out of balance system. None of the 60 county and state correctional agencies has the responsibility, authority or capacity to lead or coordinate the total system. System deficiencies will only continue to increase in size and complexity as long as the State fails to establish an independent, non-political planning and coordinating process.

Apparently the State is intent on building additional prison beds to reduce prison overcrowding without conducting a normal planning process. Available data indicates the shortage of county jail beds is the reason for prison overcrowding. As a consequence of the failure to construct needed county jail beds, offenders who historically would serve their short sentences in county jails now occupy 30,000 to 40,000 or more prison beds. There are now far more short-term offenders being released after serving a year or less in prison than there are offenders being released after serving more than a year in prison [2]. Building more prison beds will just push the system further out of balance.

If sufficient county jail beds were constructed, there would probably be a prison system with about 125,000 inmates and a jail system with about 125,000 inmates. This would return the system to the 50%/50% prison/county jail split that existed from the 1960’s to the mid 1980’s.

The shortage of county jail beds is also a major cause of the high parole revocation rates that are over 3 times the “expected” [3] rate. The high technical violation rate adds an unnecessarily a half billion ($.5 Billion) to annual state prison costs. This high return to prison rate could be reduced to a normal level if there were sufficient county jail bed space [4]. This potential savings could be applied to the cost of constructing additional jail beds.

One obvious way to establish an independent system-wide planning and coordinating agency would be to assign the function to an existing State agency, the Correctional Standards Authority (CSA). The CSA could be separated from the Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (DC&R) and a strong Executive Director position established. The current CSA board could be expanded to include individuals experienced in dealing with large systems and organizations and recognized correctional system experts from outside State government.

Effective system wide leadership could make the California correctional system into a national leader again. However, failure to engage in serious planning, and to continue to operate on an ad-hoc basis will doom it to remain an expensive, problem plagued non-system rather than an effective public safety asset.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] The California correctional system includes county jails, probation and the prison system. It has an annual budget of about $10 billion, 70,000 full time staff and over 800,000 individuals under correctional control.

[2] In CY 2005 about 77% all releases to parole served less than 12 months in prison. Only 23% of all releases from prison served more than 12 months.

[3] “Expected” refers to the historical revocation rate in California and in other States.

[4] Prior to the jail bed shortage, parolees guilty of only technical violations could be held in local custody while the field agent & unit supervisor developed a community program placement for the violator. The shortage of jail beds resulted in transfer to prison awaiting a revocation hearing, almost always resulting in parole revocation.

There are no statistics anywhere that prisons, jails, juvenile halls do one thing to prevent or deter crime. Locking people in cages to try and punish them for being ill doesn't make sense. This is all about jobs for law enforcement labor unions at the expense of the people. If the goal was really to reduce crime, there would be more of an emphasis on the prevention of mental illness, more support of our young people, especially teen mothers. This is modern day slavery and is an embarrassment to me as a native Californian and an American. The people who are destroyed must muster the courage, energy and funds to take down these politicians who have taken their lives for minor crimes by electing people to office who are enlightened and smart on crime. Myself, I am getting out the vote for Peter Camejo who is the best candidate for Governor

Years ago, My uncle was a sheriff's sargent, guarding prisoner's at the county jail. He died, at the age of 42, coaching his son's little league game. It was caused by the stress of his job.

I feel that we can not blame the prison system alone.
Although, I am experiencing the nightmare first hand.
And, it is truly a nightmare.
But, we need to go back. Go back to where it all began.

First, we need to provide more programs for at risk children. Not create more hateful and angry victims who later become criminals. By taking their parents away, without regard for their emotional well being is so wrong and the reprocusions are ovious. We are creating these monsters. We need to provide support for the families of these children.
We as a nation, can do so many things. We help our fellow nations. But, we do not value our youth. We only say we do. Actions speak louder than words. Why do we, as a nation, pay people more to work with animals then we do for working with children? I just don't get it!

Second, I feel that our court systems are to blame. Ever hear of getting a fair trial? Not in California. contary to public beliefs, some people in prison are innocent.
People pay out their life savings in order to pay an attorney to defend them. The truth is, these attormeys take the money and do nothing other than show up in court! And, there is no reprocusions for doing a poor job. It's great, for them. It's like paying a doctor to save your life and they do nothing other than to give you an aspirin. It's outrageous. I'm sure there are some good and honest attorneys out there. But, if so, I sure would like to find one!
Some people in prison, are normal.
Some people in prison, made a mistake. A non-violent mistake. We should be working with these prisoners who will make a commitment to correct their wrong. To help them get the help they need to change their lives.
Of course, we can't help those who choose not to be helped. Can't we help those that do? Why allow them to rot in gyms etc. with nothing to do. The incarcerated, after time, in that situation, would become mentally ill.
Wouldn't you??
Third,we, by creating laws like Prop. 83., punish the lowest level sex offender and give them no hope or future.
We, by locking up low level drug offenders, add to the problem by giving no support or counseling. Why is'nt there programs in our prisons to combat these issues?
We lock up our prisoners far away from any family or friend. We create systems, that punish the families. That's an injustice. That should not be tolerated! Why must families pay two dollar a minute phone calls? Just so that they can keep what little relationship they have with their loved ones going. This is a outrage. And yet, who cares? These families suffer in silence, most of these families are poor. And, again, what about the children in these families? We, the people, start the cycle all over again, and again.
Jill Buchanan

In 1990, I started a company that employed, among others, ex cons straight off the bus (at 6 am, I was the first non-prison person these people met). One of the things I learned about their situation was that they faced many problems caused by years of non-employment, such as child care and tax problems. They come out broke. This drove them to the path that headed back to prison.
Besides re hab and training in prison, legal help and counselling after release would go a long way toward helping them get headed in the right direction.

I work in Treatment for parolees and probationers in Alameda County and Co Co county. Richmond/Oakland. Substance Abuse and prison life styles need to be broken by the men and womem that are coming back to our niegborhoods. It not safe now and when these men and women come home to nothing, they feed off me and my family by doing more crimes. The help is treatment, don't get me wrong some people just don't get it and they may need a prison term,but they do come home. I see like this pay for treatment now or our communities will pay later. We live in our homes as prisoner fear of what going on in our streets, that is not right.

My son made mistakes in the past; mosting regarding drugs because he was self medicating from incidents that happened to him as a child. Instead of trying to help him, he would get arrested. Because he was in the system, he had to take a plea for something he did not do, because we did not have the finances to continue fighting the case; even though the eye witness gave a completely different description than him. He was on probation and was arrested again. Rather than wait to see what the outcome was of his case, his probation officer gleefully not only violated him, but revolked his probation, so he was sentenced to 2 years in prison. The outcome of his case? All the charges were dropped and the case dismissed. But for the terrible sin of being accused of somthing while on probation, he now helps to fill the over crowded prison system.

He's been moved around a bit because of having had to be out to court. No facility is clean. They are filthy, worse than 3rd world countries. People are sick and mocked for it rather than helped.

His latest place, and last his first meal was a scoop of mashed potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of spinich and 1/2 teaspoon of jello. Every meal since and been consistantly the same. They feed them just enough to keep them from starving and they don't care if they are getting any of their nutritional needs.

They won't help them medically and they won't allow them to have any vitamins except if they order multiple vitamins themselves. They can't order just vitamin C to help fight off disease, and they won't treat them.

In one of his moves they tried to say the money that was to be transferred was not $XXX.XX, but rather $X.XX. A couple zeros mysteriously disappeared and he had to fill out multiple forms and it's still not fixed.

They recently discovered at one of the places he was several bags of mail in the trash. We have filled out visitor approval forms 3 times with no response. They probably went in the trash along with other mail. I'd like to know what happens to an inmate who someone sent a money order that was paid for but thrown out in the trash. Speaking of which, money orders have been sent to inmates, which have been chashed, but never put on their accounts.

My sons belongings in his transfers, were sent with him and then rejected by the next facility, even though he did not have access to them and he was told they were "thrown away" or the next best thing, someone decided they wanted his books and unused toiletries.

So we have thieves and crooks, scounrals, in charge of the lives of inmates; many of which don't even belong there. Their is a thirst for feeding the system because they make money on each inmate and spend as little as possible to house and feed them.

Not only do they not feed him, his "matress" is literally paper thin. His "sheet" does not cover the matress, or him. We need OVERSITE on this system, just like the Bush administration needs OVERSITE.

They don't care if you're sick. They don't care if you're injured. One man was bit by a poisonous spider and swelled up like a balloon, but they still made him wait FOUR DAYS before anyone would see him.

And when inmates DIE because those in charge REFUSE to take care of them, then those in charge are literally committing MURDER! Maybe THEY should have to be put in the same prisons that they oversee, for justice to prevail!

ok

Jackie- how refreshing it is to hear a politician echo my own thoughts. But when will you put your money where your mouth is, and actually put these ideas into action?

My fiance is incarcerated, and will not be released until a year from now. I am 32 years old, and I have known him for over half of my life. He is not the "typical" inmate. He is white, educated, highly intelligent, and imprisoned over a ridiculous charge that he is not even technically guilty of.

As you know, the primary problem with overcrowding is that an astoundingly high number of people in the prison/jail system are in the country illegaly. Efforts must be made to nip the problem before it gets to the jail system. Border reinforcement and deportation are key in dealing with these illegals BEFORE they commit crimes, and BEFORE we are forced to spend our tax dollars on their incarceration.

Secondly, mandatory sentencing laws need to be done away with. Offenders need to be looked at on an individual basis, and their sentences needs to fit their crimes.

I don't understand why people believe that longer sentences will make California safer. Regardless of the amount of time a person spends in prison, most of them WILL be released at some point. The longer they're imprisoned, the more angry they will become. A lot of them are released and have extreme anger toward society, causing a high rate of recidivism. People become "damaged" in prison. It makes much more sense to me that nonviolent offenders should be on some type of house arrest system rather than being in prison.

As far as the violent offenders, they should either be imprisoned for a much shorter amount of time, with rehabilitation efforts being made along every step of the way, or they should serve life terms. Of course, the decision between these two options should again depend upon the nature of the crime and its degree of violence. But the act of giving longer sentences does NOT make California safer. If a person is going to continue to commit crimes after they are released, then it's just a matter of when these crimes will be committed.

I have to reiterate the point that a previous person made as far as the phone call charges. They are ridiculous. Is it fair to punish the inmate's loved ones by making them pay so much for phone calls, and is it fair to offer the option of putting money on an inmate's books? We, the friends and family, are victims of the jail system as well. Inmates should not need money on their books. Inmates should be provided with everything that they need, and these provisions should be made by the jail/prison system. When a jail or prison is being paid $200 PER INMATE, PER DAY, I have to wonder where that money is going when my fiance is not even being given enough food to satiate him, and the food that he is given is not even fit for dogs to eat. I have seen the food. He was eating it during one of our visits. I would never eat that kind of food. I understand that he's supposed to be being "punished", but being incarcerated, away from me, is punishment enough, and I see no reason to punish an inmate's friends and familly along with him. WHY ARE THE PHONE CALL COSTS SO OUTRAGEOUS??? When ATT can offer me unlimited long distance calling for $20 a month on my land line phone, why can that not be offerred to inmates as well? I would be ECSTATIC to pay $20 a month in exchange for him being able to call me whenever he wanted to, for as long as he wanted to. It's all a conspiracy, and it's a sad, sad thing.

He and I are planning on filming an expose on the prison system once he's released, and this independent film will show California voters what's really going on. Like I said, he's not the "average" inmate, and I'm not the average woman. Unless some serious changes are made, the people of California will be outraged by the atrocities that occur in the prison system, from human rights violations and mistreatment of inmates by prison guards, to prison guards bringing drugs into the facility and selling the drugs to inmates to make an "extra buck", from people receiving outrageous sentences for nonviolent crimes, to the poor families who are just scraping by financially because they are spending so much money of collect phone calls. It all needs to be exposed, and currently, the only people who are aware of what's going on are the people who are directly involved with it. This information needs to be made public knowledge, and the entire system needs to change.

Reply:

This is a online true story; When you understand who is profitting,and how the insiders play the game.Then you will understand the prison industry.Who are the players...You will be surprized.We need to clean up government,and they need to be accountable to the people.

Dillon Read & Co.Inc.
Aristocracy of Prison Profits
Read online: http://dunwalke.com/

I don't know who this e-mail goes to, i strongly feel that if we check the local court system, and work the court to there purpose, i feeling that have of those incarcerated would not be. The politics and money generate thru our court systems is crazy. My bother is incarcerated for helping a friend who had no where to stay, who's dauther feel in my brother house recieved a minor scatch nothing serious. His friend mind you never had a place to stay, in and out of prison. the mother of the child is on the street and on drug, who never came to court or came to see about the child. the prosecutor made up this story on how she thinks thing went. which was not true by far. the public defender not once said a word on my brother behalf. The riverside county court found my brother guilty and gave him 9 years. All he and his wife did was help a friend who had know where to live.. I have lost all respect and trust in our system. the Judge and the prosecutor our sending people to prison who should not be there.

this article "NEEDS" to be put on the front page of every paper in California. Nothing but up right truth. We do not have good leaders. ARNIE HAS NO IDEA WHAT TO DO! HE IS SO AFRAID HE WON'T MAKE IT TO WASHINGTON D.C. FOR SENATOR.It's "ALL A FRONT". "Slop it over and maybe no one will notice." californians are not idiots!!!!!

My grandson living with his girlfriend was told by her that she had slept with two different guys in his bed.
He was on drugs at the time and they argue and fought.
He end up bruising her. She went to her Mom's and show her the bruises. The story from the girl was he rape her and sunt-gun her. Proof was sunt-gun, bruises, minor tear. He got 25 to life. He as a teenager got pull over with a open container stay a few hours in jail. No other trouble. The Court (trial)a juror gave the DA a thumbs up. They gave the jurors coffee cup gifts because it was Jurors Appreciation Week during the Trial from DA. Two Jurors was falling asleep. Then there is the yr and half before Trial at least 36 trips
to court from jail because either the DA OR PD wasn't there.These Courtrooms need to be reviewed and you will see the problems as to why the Prisons are so full.

After reading this story, I was compelled to tell the story of what this young Asian man is currently going through. A little over 4 years ago I met this young man that lived here in the neighborhood. Seemed like a nice young man, he offered to help with anything that I might need a hand with. I guess being disabled and sometimes needing a little help here and there, I was quite impressed. As time progressed we talked more and more. I was astonished with this young man's honestey about his life. He told me he had been in a gang for many years. He used dope often, and had been in and out of Juvenile Hall since he was was 14. How could this bad kid, have a heart that show's kindness.
I got to know this young man pretty well over the next few month's. Then in Sept. he was arrested for possession (cryst. methe) about 3/10ths gram, and Grand Theft Auto. The GTA was reduced to "Joy Riding without owners permission." For the possession charge he was sentenced to rehab. The facility had a 6 month live in program. After receiving 2 probation violations he finally completed a program.
I thought everything would now be behind him, and he could get on with his life. Not so, approx. 8 month's later he was arrested for refusing arrest. He spent 8 month's in state prison. Upon his release I allowed this young man to start coming around more often, but started noticing that he had an anger problem, and signs of what I assumed was Schizophrenia and Bipolar. I was able to talk to him about it on several occassions and also mentioned it to his mother. Nothing was done at that point. He was again arrested for attempted auto burgelary. Charges were dropped. Investigator saying he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Well being on Parole, this arrest caused a Parole hold to be placed. Even though the origional charges were dropped, the hold remained.
This caused the young man to serve 5 month in state prison. Upon his release, I continued to see the signs of the mental disorder, and seemed to have increased in severity. I finally convinced the young man to see the parole psychricist. He was diagnoised as with both disorders as I suspected and placed on medication. He was doing well at this point. He had accompolished graduating from Machinist training school, and landed a job. Unfortunately his anger problem had not been addressed, and last Saturday, the young man was arrested for having a very small amount of crystal methe on him again. He indicated to me that he had only used 2 times. Because of his honesty with me, I believe him. Now he is facing more prison time another felony charge. He also has the parole hold on him again.
The problem I have with the prison system is, with all the times this young man had been in jail, no one reconginized his mental disorder of schitzophrena and Bipolar. All it took for me to see it was to listen and communicate with this young man. No one in the prison system took the time. I wonder how many other young people in the system have not been heard.
For this young man I know, even though he graduated top of his class, his boss indicated that this guy had a gift for cutting metals and being a machinist.
Because the anger issue has not been addressed and resolved which caused him to use dope again, this young man has lost everything. They will eventually put him back on the street again and he will just return to his gang activity, disrespecting the law and himself. BECAUSE NO ONE LISTENED WHILE HE WAS IN PRISON/JAIL. IF THE SYSTEM WOULD TAKE MORE TIME WITH THESE YOUNG PEOPLE THEIR FIRST TIME IN, GET TO THE ROOT OF THEIR PROBLEM, OFFER HELP AND A WAY OUT, THE PRISON POPULATION WOULD NOT BE AS IT IS. WE WOLD NOT BE LOSING SO MANY OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GANG VIOLENCE.

Thanks for listening.
P.S I have not given up on this young man. I've seen deep inside his heart, and its a good heart. I will continue to be there for help.

I personally think that alot of the blame should be on the DA's and Judges who are the ones sending people to prison for lame reasons; like missing court. My loved one did mess up on probation 2 times and this time missed court, then the DA made it a felony, which in turn is now causing my loved one to go to prison for max of 3.8 years. I think this is bull. Overpopulation will not be fixed, when this stuff happens and no one is doing anything about it. Talk is cheap. Do something now before its too late. 5 years is way too long. Inmates are already suffing, beyond their constitional rights.

Question for Jackie Speier

You said that correctional officers make more than a college professor where's the proof?

I know from investigating that officers in the deparment start making around $45.000 a year compare to CHP and other agencies.

instead of focusing on CO's salaries, people should be smart and investigate your salary and the other crooks that work with you.

Question for Jackie Speier

You said that correctional officers make more than a college professor where's the proof?

I know from investigating that officers in the deparment start making around $45.000 a year compare to CHP and other agencies.

instead of focusing on CO's salaries, people should be smart and investigate your salary and the other crooks that work with you.

I.like the idea that the terminally ill inmates be released to their families providing the family is able to care for them.

When a presentence investigation is done and the inmate is simply to ill to complete it due to the lack proper food and medication, I do not think the Judge should sentence the ill inmate but rather order another investigation when the inmates blood sugar is at or near normal. My husband has deformed foot from charcot foot and wears a heavy brace which takes 80% of the weight off his foot. He has taken 3 falls due to being given the wrong medication which brings his blood pressure to low. The last fall resulted in a broken ankle so he is wheelchair bound.

With high blood sugar the inmate's thought process is not normal.

In my husband's case his eyes became to blurred to read the questions and his motor skills to poor
to answer so the phychologist read him the questions and answered them for him. She even says that he became to weak fatigued to finish the investigation. His blood sugar was well over
200 and the day of sentencing his blood sugar was 450!.Both days he been without any incilin for his diabetes also no oral diabetic medication. The week of the presentence investigation he was not given his antidreprssion medication for the week as well as two other meds.

I.like the idea that the terminally ill inmates be released to their families providing the family is able to care for them.

When a presentence investigation is done and the inmate is simply to ill to complete it due to the lack proper food and medication, I do not think the Judge should sentence the ill inmate but rather order another investigation when the inmates blood sugar is at or near normal. My husband has deformed foot from charcot foot and wears a heavy brace which takes 80% of the weight off his foot. He has taken 3 falls due to being given the wrong medication which brings his blood pressure to low. The last fall resulted in a broken ankle so he is wheelchair bound.

With high blood sugar the inmate's thought process is not normal.

In my husband's case his eyes became to blurred to read the questions and his motor skills to poor
to answer so the phychologist read him the questions and answered them for him. She even says that he became to weak fatigued to finish the investigation. His blood sugar was well over
200 and the day of sentencing his blood sugar was 450!.Both days he been without any incilin for his diabetes also no oral diabetic medication. The week of the presentence investigation he was not given his antidreprssion medication for the week as well as two other meds.

I.like the idea that the terminally ill inmates be released to their families providing the family is able to care for them.

When a presentence investigation is done and the inmate is simply to ill to complete it due to the lack proper food and medication, I do not think the Judge should sentence the ill inmate but rather order another investigation when the inmates blood sugar is at or near normal. My husband has deformed foot from charcot foot and wears a heavy brace which takes 80% of the weight off his foot. He has taken 3 falls due to being given the wrong medication which brings his blood pressure to low. The last fall resulted in a broken ankle so he is wheelchair bound.

With high blood sugar the inmate's thought process is not normal.

In my husband's case his eyes became to blurred to read the questions and his motor skills to poor
to answer so the phychologist read him the questions and answered them for him. She even says that he became to weak fatigued to finish the investigation. His blood sugar was well over
200 and the day of sentencing his blood sugar was 450!.Both days he been without any incilin for his diabetes also no oral diabetic medication. The week of the presentence investigation he was not given his antidreprssion medication for the week as well as two other meds.

I.like the idea that the terminally ill inmates be released to their families providing the family is able to care for them.

When a presentence investigation is done and the inmate is simply to ill to complete it due to the lack proper food and medication, I do not think the Judge should sentence the ill inmate but rather order another investigation when the inmates blood sugar is at or near normal. My husband has deformed foot from charcot foot and wears a heavy brace which takes 80% of the weight off his foot. He has taken 3 falls due to being given the wrong medication which brings his blood pressure to low. The last fall resulted in a broken ankle so he is wheelchair bound.

With high blood sugar the inmate's thought process is not normal.

In my husband's case his eyes became to blurred to read the questions and his motor skills to poor
to answer so the phychologist read him the questions and answered them for him. She even says that he became to weak fatigued to finish the investigation. His blood sugar was well over
200 and the day of sentencing his blood sugar was 450!.Both days he been without any incilin for his diabetes also no oral diabetic medication. The week of the presentence investigation he was not given his antidreprssion medication for the week as well as two other meds.

A prison, penitentiary, or correctional facility is a place in which individuals are physically confined or interned and usually deprived of a range of personal freedoms.
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Sam
british columbia drug rehab

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