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U.S. Supreme Court orders massive inmate release to relieve California's crowded prisons

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mrxexon at 6:17 PM May 30, 2011

The war on drugs has dumped every free thinker in the country behind bars. Mostly non violent types. Victims of poor laws passed in the Reagan era.

Keep the violent ones and release the rest.

x

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The Mad Man at 9:29 AM May 30, 2011

I have an idea...

Lets elect the pope as president, have the judges who put these people in prison, patrol the prisons as guards, put the lawyers as cell mates or rats, retire the prison guards on full medical disability and have Obama create a new committee called 'no crime in prison'. Let's create a rehab social circle for inmates serving 20 years or more and let the inmates that are serving 50 years to life, be allowed to vote on the current issues of the day, like male circumcision, what movie stars should not be allowed in prison and what the president meant by 'change'!

The judges and lawyers put these people in prison so lets reverse the rolls to understand how and why the prisons are overcrowded.

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The Mad Man at 9:12 AM May 30, 2011

What sense does this make. You live in prison, create a lifestyle that changes you forever, cannot adjust to life on the outside because all you know is prison, rehab is outdated, and since you can't face reality on the outside, you create more crime only to be released due to overcrowding and the crime increases on the outside as well as the inside of prison. What's wrong with this picture here. The revolving door policy.

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byetheway77 at 6:02 PM May 29, 2011

The above picture shows a neat orderly dorm. It can not compare with the open space on the outside of the prison naturally or a crowded subway in Manhatten or the quarters for crew members aboard an atomic sub.

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michael g at 10:31 AM May 29, 2011

The above photo of future "Democratic Voters" speaks volumes.  Thanks, L.A. Times, for giving the rest of us a heads up....

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louweegie272 at 10:11 AM May 29, 2011

How many inmates can be deported through "secure communities"?

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byetheway77 at 6:04 PM May 29, 2011

Noticed one of the inmates has a bling or a chain or something about his neck. Regulations, you know.

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phertz1 at 7:00 PM May 25, 2011

1931 movie  "I was a prisoner on a chain gang" gives you an idea what needs to be done.  Farm prison away from urban areas.  Teach them farming skills, get them tired, let them learn to build gravel roads with sledgehammers.  It will build up all the men so they can be paroled into construction and farm labor jobs.   

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The Mad Man at 9:14 AM May 30, 2011

Nice idea, but reality will not allow this to happen.

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phertz1 at 6:53 PM May 25, 2011

It orders about 23% of the inmates released.  So since 25% are illegal aliens, they should simply deport them.  Then there will be enough room for the rest of the inmates.  

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byetheway77 at 6:07 PM May 29, 2011

During the 80s the jail population at L A County Jail was about 80 percent Hispanic. Now, since other races are involved in the drug culture and eventually incarcerated, the population is mixed. Wish that Americans would get off drugs so the prison population would be easier to manage.

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The Improver at 5:10 PM May 25, 2011

I used to do theater in prisons all over the country. Medium and Max facilites including some in California. And what I thought about prisons before I went in to them was a whole lot different than what I thought after the experience.

You know what prisons do? Teach people to become better criminals. They also create such hate due to the conditions, without tempering it with REAL skills on how to handle life on the outside, that they've become a revolving door.

First, get rid of every freaking drug offender who is incarcerated except those convicted of selling huge amounts. Second, eliminate the three strikes law. It's so poorly written that people who have been busted for a minor offense on their 'third strike' are down for serious time. Third, get serious about programs that provide for life skills.

The goal of prisons should not only be keeping the public safe but doing what they can to make sure they're putting less harmful people back on the streets.

And to any of you who think that prison is a joke or a vacation, I encourage you to seek out a tour. You'll change your mind the second you hear the noise.

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frankie4 at 9:43 PM May 26, 2011

good post people are so clue less of what really goes on.,they think what they see on TV is real.it is a very sad thing was is happening in America,but since these public unions have taken over it is only about them,they love the revolving door.the more inmates the more OT,the more raises,it really gets me the total disreguard for people rights or feeling,there are some but not as many as people think that should never get out but pot smokers, wayward kids,drunks,etc the damage that is being done so a few pigs can make more money is a disgrace. as a America I demand more from are public workers and city hall,etc. but its seems people just dont care it is a shame

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Cheese_Wonton at 3:55 PM May 25, 2011

Tell the Federal Government and the Supreme Court that California's compliance is contingent on them taking all the illegal alien prisoners off our hands, either by incarcerating them in Federal prisons or by paying California to build and operate as long as necessary prisons for the illegal aliens in custody.  Otherwise, tell the Supreme Court to stuff it.  Tell them to order the Federal Government to pay for all the lousy miserable illegal aliens we have to pay for. 

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tpaine at 3:32 PM May 25, 2011

Unfortunate the "non-violent" criminals sure to be released following this ruling won't be housed next door to liberal Justices Sotamayor, Ginsberg, Kagan, Kennedy and the other Dimocrat kook.

We so don't need to let Obama appoint another one of these fruitcake, liberal Supreme Court Justices.  Pray like you've never prayed America.

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Boycott Mexifornia at 10:42 AM May 25, 2011

California spends an estimated $21.8 billion annually on illegal aliens—including $11 billion on education; $3 billion on  prisons, police, and courts; and $11 billion on medical services.

If Jerry Brown TRULY wants to erase the deficit, he knows exactly what to do. But he won't.

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BrendaChristian at 9:52 AM May 25, 2011

Now is the time for change.  Ban the Bar, lift the housing law, restore all rights, to give the new citizens a chance to live.  Without it, recidivism will rise, and crimes will worsen because the person is seeking permanent housing and care.  Re-read the Declaration of Independence (1776).  its 2011 and the minority has become the majority. Laws need to change and NOW!

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apollonhymn at 9:37 AM May 25, 2011

yeaaaahhhh I'm all for the tax extensions, but they are not going  to be used to to fund the transferof prisoners to counties. I work for one, and it's already been made clear to us that we will  be reimbursed for SOME prisoner costs, but not most new administrative expenses :/

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Future View at 12:55 PM May 25, 2011

apollonhymn,

The article talks of 58 plans in 58 counties as though the inmates will be equally divided.  But 65% of the prisoners are now housed in Southern Cal.  Does this mean that LA /Riverside will actually get close to 30,000 of the inmates? 

Also, do you have info on any plans for adding more to the parole system's caseload?  If so will new POs be added?

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revelated at 6:14 AM May 25, 2011

"Citizens will pay a real price as crime victims, as thousands of convicted felons will be on the streets with minimal supervision," Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley said in a statement. "Many of these 'early release' prisoners will commit crimes which would never have occurred had they remained in custody."


Yeah, those people who wrote bad checks - I mean I should run out and buy a gun right now...

Or those infamous person who knocked over a liquor store.  Talk about hold your wallet closer.

Some of these people are in jail when we should have just taken them to the cleaners financially.  Those, in part, are the people we are releasing and I'm fine with that.  Some crimes just don't warrant (no pun intended) jail time and there is no case for assuming that they'll be repeat offenders.

People who should be in prison:

Murderers and Abetters (not people who were present but didn't actually commit the crime, which in California can get you sent up under "foreseeable consequence" depending on iffy circumstances.  People v. Ly)

TRUE kidnappers - meaning they held someone for profit or sexual motive

Violent Sex Offenders/Rapists

Drug Offenders

Grand Theft Larceny/Bank Robbers

DUI/DWI

"high profile" offenders

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One Radical Moderate at 9:39 AM May 25, 2011

Wow, your understanding of the criminal mind is truly warped. You complain that the people who are present at a murder who knew that the murderer had a gun and intended to use it, just to give an example, are innocent. You describe knocking over a liquor store like it does not usually involve violence or the threat of violence and they should just be fined. Writing bad checks to small businesses is the same as stealing money from the business or the bank. Then you turn around and label drug offenders who are non violent as the people who should be locked up, how you come to this conclusion without the aid of drugs is beyond me.

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frankie4 at 10:00 PM May 24, 2011

He cited a former Texas prison director who toured California lockups and described the conditions as "appalling," "inhumane" and unlike any he had seen "in more than 35 years of prison work." does any one understand the damage that these people are doing to the state of Calif.there is a old saying beat a dog enough he will bite you.this must brake the unions,that what costs all the money take their pay out the cost to house a inmate is probability about 40$ a day

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apollonhymn at 9:54 AM May 25, 2011

it's closer to $112-120 per prisoner per day, actually.

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dragonworks at 9:42 PM May 24, 2011

Just release non-violent marijuana possession inmates

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Future View at 10:26 PM May 24, 2011

California has come pretty close to making marijuana legal in the state.  As of 2009, there were 51 possession inmates and about 1000 possession with intent to sell inmates.  This is a drop in a 168,000 inmate bucket.  The problem is the whopping 94,000 inmates with crime against persons convictions.  That's a lot of murder, rape and assault.  The state keeps collecting these bad people, but it does not build prisons to hold them.

See the ststs in a lower post.

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apollonhymn at 9:41 AM May 25, 2011

Schwarzenegger's reduction of marijuana posession (1oz) to a civil infraction helped a bit, but it's still pretty ridiculous to incarcerate someone for 25 years because they were caught with a full pipe as their 3rd offense.

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tpaine at 3:41 PM May 25, 2011

Because California has no money because they keep raising taxes which drives out business so the illegals can't get jobs and go on the dole so the state keeps having to raise taxes . . . oh, I said that.

California is like most big cities run for generations by Democrats.  Business is bad and government is good.  It's a never ending cycle as long as you keep electing Democrats you're going to keep on getting the same results - truly the definition of insanity.

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edla67 at 9:16 PM May 24, 2011

Please dont put these criminals in our streets! Who cares about their compfort, they are CRIMINALS, they need to suffer back!

It's bad enough with millions of illegals aliens already!

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apollonhymn at 9:48 AM May 25, 2011

As far as I'm aware, most of these prisoners are still human beings/citizens. I'll admit I don't feel a whole lot of sympathy for certain heighnous crimes like murder or pediphelia or rape, but that's not most state prisoners are in for. There's also the small issue of the constitution requiring punishment to be proportional to the crime comitted. 

Also, a 2007 Yale study (Chen, Shapiro) pretty clearly showed that harsher environments in prisons don't reduce recidivism, and indeed they seem to INCREASE recidivism. Assuming an 18 year old in for gang-associated crimes will be released before he dies of old age, this is pretty important.

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AmericansRcool at 7:21 PM May 24, 2011

Not one mention in the KTLA video that inmates had died needlessly due to abyssmal medical care.  In fact, the piece opens with him saying it was about the toilet to inmate ratio.  He doesn't mention until the end that 30,000+ would not all be released at one time.  The video just incited fear by telling less than half of the story.  Leave it on the opinion page or commentary news shows and just give us a straight report.

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Cheese_Wonton at 2:30 PM May 25, 2011

A dead prisoner is one I am not paying for.  This is good thing. 

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Boycott Mexifornia at 8:55 PM May 25, 2011

If inmates are dying, we need worse care not better.

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Future View at 6:47 PM May 24, 2011

Here is a breakdown of inmates as of 2009.    There has been many posts about the facilities being filled with drug users, but as you can see, this is not true.  In fact, most of the 10,000 in custody are awaiting the parole process and are run through the system as fast as possible.  Other stories of people in for "parking tickets" seem equally false.  I think transferring thousands of prisoners to crowded county jails is a wish.   I just hope the courts know the implication of their decision and time frame.

  • DRUG CRIMES  (28,736)

CS Possession 10,358

CS Possession For Sale 10,675

CS Sales 4,867

CS Manufacturing 501

CS Other 699

Hashish Possession 51

Marijuana Possess For Sale 922

Marijuana Sale 513

Marijuana Other 150

  • CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS  (93,674)

Homicide 28,855

Manslaughter 3,378

Vehicular Manslaughter 724

Robbery 21,390

Assault and Battery 25,130

Sex Offenses 15,655

Kidnapping 2,644

  • PROPERTY CRIMES  (32,677)

Burglary 13,729

Theft 18,948

Grand Theft 2,761

Vehicle Theft 4,920

Forgery/Fraud 2,591

Other Property 1,172

  • OTHER CRIMES  (

    13,743)

Other crimes includes escape, weapons possosion, criminal DUI, arson, etc.

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apollonhymn at 9:50 AM May 25, 2011

Not to suggest I don't believe you, but do you have a source for this data? I'm seriously intererested if you do...

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Future View at 11:31 AM May 25, 2011

apollonhymn,

This link is listed in an earlier post of mine.  I omitted it here because I ran out of space.  This is a good report.  The LA Times should have studied it before printing it's stories. 

Long term data shows the crime rate staying flat.  But as the population increased since 1990, inmate capacity has not kept pace.  One can preach reform and tell stories of a few "victims" of the 3 strike law, but basically, the state has grown and the jails have not.

I hope you do take the time to delve into the report.

http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Reports_Research/Offender_Information_Services_Branch/Annual/CalPris/CALPRISd2009.pdf

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Warren at 8:32 AM May 26, 2011

DRUG CRIMES  (28,736)

Yep, if we release the prisoners in for Drug Crimes we only need to do something with a few thousands prisoners who committed crimes against others. 

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canadaguy at 6:35 PM May 24, 2011

here is the solution: use the prisoners to build new prisons. send them weekly pay stubs with the wage set to zero , but then another pay stub stating what they could have made in various other jobs so they could see how much money they are losing by being in prison and how much money they could make if they stopped trying to take it from those who worked for it, or by using other people for money. also, most importantly allow preachers to teach them how to change their lives .

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think123 at 6:28 PM May 24, 2011

All you have to do is read the comments from the bleeding LA libertards to understand why California is heading down to its own self-destruction.  And I guess its okay, if the criminals hasten that end.

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TheodoreCha at 6:24 PM May 24, 2011

We, Californians, had for long time had a mentality of 'lock 'em up and throw the key away.' I wished it was that simple until we recently begun to realize how much that mentality is costing us, taxpayers, dearly. Do you ever see why prison guard union is so powerful? Of course, dangerous violent ones need to remain in prison. However, as state had been preparing for awhile, we need to put more emphasis on local rehabilitation efforts by county probation officers. I am hoping for the governor to keep his promise not to let any of them go free without any supervision that may endanger local communities safeties by properly funding for those that are being released to supervision by local authorities.

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tpaine at 3:51 PM May 25, 2011

And why did Californians overwhelming vote for "three strikes?"  Because liberal judges kept letting out repeat offender criminals to prey on society with ever increasing violence.

It's unfortunate that the Democrat Supremes don't get these soon to be released criminals next door to them.

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byetheway77 at 6:20 PM May 24, 2011

(cont)  How is California or the federal government going to protect the citizens of the United States, an old fashioned ideal, or effectively cut court costs or civil damages  by releasing convicts; that is, if they are recidivist like sexual predators, murderers and serial killers? With 80 thousand  convicts who are no longer  incarcerated  in California, there will certainly be more losses to life and property than there would be if they were locked up. The leaders of our country should not confer with the Supreme Court for the purpose of a machination which would release the convicts and diminish the quality of life in California. Our leadership should enforce the immigration laws in order to greatly reduce the number of inmates in California prisons.

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apollonhymn at 9:52 AM May 25, 2011

30,000-46,000 minimum- to medium- offenders will be redistributed or released. This doesn't include violent or sexual offenders.

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byetheway77 at 6:19 PM May 24, 2011

The Supreme Court's idea decision the population of inmates must be reduced in order to protect the lives of inmates  is a bad one. Regardless of the living space allotted for convicts, there will always be blood shed between the serious offenders or the bully and the less violent criminals. Obviously, the prisons are more populated in California because it is a sanctuary state thanks to Governor Brown and his cohorts. The federal government did practically nothing to prevent the illegal immigrants from entering the United States during the eight years of G W Bush' administration. A substantial number of California's convicts, about 80 percent during the 1980 decade, are Mexican national fugitives or first generation Mexican Americans, or anchor babies. There were already 46 thousand inmates released from California prisons recently. Add to that, 33 thousand.  Many of those ex-cons who were released had immediately  congregated at state parks with nowhere else on their mind  to go.

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