California must free thousands of inmates

[k3mps]

Found this on msn today.
i know it's in the states, but you never know, one day maybe our prisons will have too many inmates.
what are you views on this?

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday endorsed a court order requiring California to cut its prison population by tens of thousands of inmates to improve health care for those who remain behind bars.

The court said in a 5-4 decision that the reduction is "required by the Constitution" to correct longstanding violations of inmates' rights. The order mandates a prison population of no more than 110,000 inmates, still far above the system's designed capacity.

There are more than 142,000 inmates in the state's 33 adult prisons, meaning roughly 32,000 inmates will need to be transferred to other jurisdictions or released.

Justice Anthony Kennedy, a California native, wrote the majority opinion, in which he included photos of severe overcrowding. The court's four Democratic appointees joined with Kennedy.

"The violations have persisted for years. They remain uncorrected," Kennedy said.

Justice Antonin Scalia said in dissent that the court order is "perhaps the most radical injunction issued by a court in our nation's history."

Scalia, reading his dissent aloud Monday, said it would require the release of "the staggering number of 46,000 convicted felons."

Scalia's number, cited in legal filings, comes from a period in which the prison population was even higher.

Justice Clarence Thomas joined Scalia's opinion, while Justice Samuel Alito wrote a separate dissent for himself and Chief Justice John Roberts.

Prisons designed to hold 80,000

The case revolves around inadequate mental and physical health care in a state prison system that in 2009 averaged nearly a death a week that might have been prevented or delayed with better medical care.

The facilities were designed to hold about 80,000 inmates.

The state has protested a court order to cut the population to about 110,000 inmates within two years, but also has taken steps to meet, if not exceed, that target.

Earlier this year, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill that would reduce the prison population by about 40,000 inmates by transferring many low-level offenders to county jurisdiction. The state legislature has yet to authorize any money for the transfer.

Kennedy said the state could ask for the court order to be modified to allow for up to three additional years to reach the 110,000-inmate target.
-cbc.ca

[Teh Doucher]

makes sense. the states is fucking retarded, they throw people in jail for having a little bit of weed on them...

[k3mps]

california has that "3 strikes law" right?
is that what's causing this?

[Meowjin]

^you just asked a long and complicated question.

[Vale46Rossi]

Canada is turning in to America.

We are introducing the mandatory minimum which will populate our prison a lot more.

Also we are now discussing about a billion dollar new expansion to house the inmates.

[k3mps]

Originally Posted by MajinHurricane

^you just asked a long and complicated question.

ya i realized it after i reread it

[gars]

Originally Posted by StevenDuang

Canada is turning in to America.

We are introducing the mandatory minimum which will populate our prison a lot more.

Also we are now discussing about a billion dollar new expansion to house the inmates.

It's really hard to find a balance.

On one hand, we see all the time - in the news, murderers, pedophiles, etc, being released on parole way too soon - and everybody bitches about the system and how they shouldn't be allowed to roam the street so soon.

On the other hand, we look at the states, and see just how bad the other extreme could be.

[StylinRed]

Harper wants to turn us into the usa even though the usa is a clear example of how fucked up their "way" is

hell Harper is even siding with Israel now

[CRS]

Originally Posted by StylinRed

Harper wants to turn us into the usa even though the usa is a clear example of how fucked up their "way" is

hell Harper is even siding with Israel now

Not sure if that israeli the problem we have here.

[Ronin]

Should open this place back up. It's only got like 350 cells but every little bit helps!



Just make sure none of this shit is still lying around...especially if you're concerned about health care.

[geeknerd]

throw in a couple shanks, give them a "do whatever you want without consequences" day.
itll probably kill of tons of child molestors, sincei hear theyre the worst.

[TheNewGirl]

Wow, there's more people in prison in California, then in all of Canada.

[TheKingdom2000]

Just legalize marijuana. That would solve a lot of the problems.

Mother fuckkkkka just doooo it!
And maybe then the HST will be lowered, social services will increase, and income tax will be lowered.

It's so damn simple. Just legalize it! Then all those weed dealers will be obsolete, the people who go to jail with more than an ounce will be obsolete, etc.

Or just legalize the production and manufacturing of hemp. That will generate a lot of new business and other random goodness.
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[TheNewGirl]

I don't think legalizing pot will solve all problems every where.

But I think it would be a great start. Especially in the states where you can get major time for very small possession.

[Death2Theft]

Again why are tax dollars paying to house inmates? Why the hell arn't they doing manual labour turning a profit?
Take your average road repair crew, throw in cell mates pay them 1/4 of what the normal crews make use the rest of the money on guards and quality inspectors. Bet the roads would be alot smoother.

[flagella]

Outsource the prison to China and they will probably learn some lesson. These inmates here are living the life many on earth wish to have.

[gars]

Originally Posted by TheNewGirl

Wow, there's more people in prison in California, then in all of Canada.

There are also more people in California, than all of Canada - but I'm sure the ratio of # of Inmates per capita is much higher in California.

[ilvtofu]

Originally Posted by gars

It's really hard to find a balance.

On one hand, we see all the time - in the news, murderers, pedophiles, etc, being released on parole way too soon - and everybody bitches about the system and how they shouldn't be allowed to roam the street so soon.

On the other hand, we look at the states, and see just how bad the other extreme could be.

The media makes money off of the bad press they give to the justice system, no one wants to hear about the system just doing their job properly, those and police brutality are the biggest stories, just as the biggest celeb stories are always scandals. The media will always highlight more scandals than success stories because they sell, so what you think about our justice system is most likely skewed if you're knowledge is based off news.

[mr_chin]

Originally Posted by Death2Theft

Again why are tax dollars paying to house inmates? Why the hell arn't they doing manual labour turning a profit?
Take your average road repair crew, throw in cell mates pay them 1/4 of what the normal crews make use the rest of the money on guards and quality inspectors. Bet the roads would be alot smoother.

How and where would they do this? In a factory? Out on the streets paving roads? There is a reason why they are in prison and there is a reason why there is maximum security.

If there is one little chance they can escape, they would. You can't just lock them in a warehouse and let them work, and then escort them out to their bedroom whenever their job is done.

They should of made the Texas into a prison. Build a concrete wall around it with electrical barbed wires and one exit/entrance that have a motion sensor machine gun that can only be turned off by authorities. Throw inmates who convicted serious crimes like murder, raping, serial killers, arm robbers, etc. and let them deal with each other in there. Every day, a helicopter drops a shipment of food for them. Clothes and shelter? Well survival of the fittest.

[k3mps]

Originally Posted by Death2Theft

Again why are tax dollars paying to house inmates? Why the hell arn't they doing manual labour turning a profit?
Take your average road repair crew, throw in cell mates pay them 1/4 of what the normal crews make use the rest of the money on guards and quality inspectors. Bet the roads would be alot smoother.

if it was minimum security, maybe.
in a MAX / SUPERMAX security, they house the worst of the worst.
escaping one of those isn't impossible, there have been some in the past.
if an inmate can escape a MAX security prison, imagine what would happen if hundreds of MAX security inmates were allowed to work on public roads, let alone factories with almost zero securitry features

[TheNewGirl]

Originally Posted by Death2Theft

Again why are tax dollars paying to house inmates? Why the hell arn't they doing manual labour turning a profit?
Take your average road repair crew, throw in cell mates pay them 1/4 of what the normal crews make use the rest of the money on guards and quality inspectors. Bet the roads would be alot smoother.

Here in BC we had a prison farming program where prisoners worked in farms to train prisoners in trade, and also to provide food for the prison and the remainder was sold to the community. It was a great program, because not only did it make people productive but it gave them training and skills for when they left prison.

The program was canceled.

[StylinRed]

Originally Posted by CRS

Not sure if that israeli the problem we have here.

just another example of moving towards more of a US Republican attitude rather than a traditionally Canadian one

it's Mulroney part 2 but more maniacal

[apple_cutie]

Originally Posted by aznlangjai

How and where would they do this? In a factory? Out on the streets paving roads? There is a reason why they are in prison and there is a reason why there is maximum security.

If there is one little chance they can escape, they would. You can't just lock them in a warehouse and let them work, and then escort them out to their bedroom whenever their job is done.

They should of made the Texas into a prison. Build a concrete wall around it with electrical barbed wires and one exit/entrance that have a motion sensor machine gun that can only be turned off by authorities. Throw inmates who convicted serious crimes like murder, raping, serial killers, arm robbers, etc. and let them deal with each other in there. Every day, a helicopter drops a shipment of food for them. Clothes and shelter? Well survival of the fittest.

That sounds like Australia
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[Great68]

Originally Posted by Death2Theft

Again why are tax dollars paying to house inmates? Why the hell arn't they doing manual labour turning a profit?
Take your average road repair crew, throw in cell mates pay them 1/4 of what the normal crews make use the rest of the money on guards and quality inspectors. Bet the roads would be alot smoother.

So take away jobs from hard working honest people, and give them to criminals?

[Wykydtron]

There are people in the US that serve prison time for not being able to pay fines/tickets for things like lack of helmet while riding a bicycle. So of course these numbers are going to seem a lot higher than they "really" are.