Supreme Court orders California to release tens of thousands of prison inmates

[M3Bahn]

The 5-4 decision represents one of the largest prison release orders in U.S. history. The court majority says overcrowding has caused 'suffering and death.' In a sharp dissent, Justice Antonin Scalia warns 'terrible things are sure to happen.'


http://www.latimes.com/news/local/sc...,2337401.story

[KGB7]

Unemployment and crime rate will jump by 5%.

[infinitekid2002]

What we should do is get these inmates to work making more prisons...

[KGB7]

Remember during WWII when prisoners were recruited by the military for special missions? Thats what should be done now.

[scottwww]

Something had to be done. What the court ruled may not be the best way to achieve something, but it wasn't going the right direction on it's own.

See also: Set the captives free

[infinitekid2002]

Originally Posted by scottwww

Something had to be done. What the court ruled may not be the best way to achieve something, but it wasn't going the right direction on it's own.

See also: Set the captives free

I can't disagree with that statement...we need to legalize drugs if we want to get a hold of this.

[scottwww]

Lately it seems I have agreed with the liberals on the court:

link

Kennedy said reducing the prison population could be accomplished in a number of ways besides simply releasing inmates. Some could be transferred to local jails or to prisons outside the state, something California already is doing. Expanding the use of “good-time” credits would allow the release of those least likely to reoffend; so would excusing prisoners now incarcerated for technical violations of parole.

“Diverting low-risk offenders to community programs such as drug treatment, day reporting centers, and electronic monitoring would likewise lower the prison population without releasing violent convicts,” he wrote.

The justice system and the penal system are both broken and something needs to be done about it. Some laws should also be changed to reduce the number of incarcerations. When you have so many more prisoners than facilities to keep them, and for 11 years! that is clear indication that it just isn't working.

I don't think building more prisons is the answer.

It's incredible to me that my wife who so often disagrees with me on so many of my conservative positions disagrees with me even in the rare cases where I take sides with the liberal position.

[Echo M3]

Originally Posted by scottwww

Lately it seems I have agreed with the liberals on the court:

link

Kennedy said reducing the prison population could be accomplished in a number of ways besides simply releasing inmates. Some could be transferred to local jails or to prisons outside the state, something California already is doing. Expanding the use of “good-time” credits would allow the release of those least likely to reoffend; so would excusing prisoners now incarcerated for technical violations of parole.

“Diverting low-risk offenders to community programs such as drug treatment, day reporting centers, and electronic monitoring would likewise lower the prison population without releasing violent convicts,” he wrote.

The justice system and the penal system are both broken and something needs to be done about it. Some laws should also be changed to reduce the number of incarcerations. When you have so many more prisoners than facilities to keep them, and for 11 years! that is clear indication that it just isn't working.

I don't think building more prisons is the answer.

It's incredible to me that my wife who so often disagrees with me on so many of my conservative positions disagrees with me even in the rare cases where I take sides with the liberal position.

Not sure releasing prison inmates is necessarily a 'liberal' position, though. It's an economically and fiscally prudent decision to release inmates who have conducted minor drug offenses, and it also reduces the size of government -> both of which are arguably conservative philosophies.

That being said, I agree with your viewpoint.

[scottwww]

Originally Posted by pman10

Not sure releasing prison inmates is necessarily a 'liberal' position, though. It's an economically and fiscally prudent decision to release inmates who have conducted minor drug offenses, and it also reduces the size of government -> both of which are arguably conservative philosophies.

That being said, I agree with your viewpoint.

The points you made I am sure are largely why I hold the opinion I do. I am glad we find agreement.

[xbook]

2 weeks ago, here in LA, there was a 30 year shot and killed by 3 people, 1 that was recently released from prison. I hope this doesn't cause more of these killings or crimes.

[scottwww]

Originally Posted by xbook

2 weeks ago, here in LA, there was a 30 year shot and killed by 3 people, 1 that was recently released from prison. I hope this doesn't cause more of these killings or crimes.

What was that person's crime that had resulted in prison time? Why was he/she released? Would others in similar conditions be release based on the Supreme Court ruling?

[xbook]

Quote from a local newspaper:

"Police said Thomas and Anderson have extensive criminal histories. Thomas is an alleged gang member from South Los Angeles who was released from prison last December after serving time for being a felon in possession of a firearm."

Doesn't say why he was let out. But it does show that 2 of these criminals had prior records, and could have continued to be problematic. Apparently they were problematic.

Scottwww, I am bringing this up as an argument against just releasing prisoners from our prisons. Yes we do need to save some dough in this country. But let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater and start releasing criminals that will make our cities less safe. Prison is still meant to be a deterrent and punishment for criminals. An easier way for us to not send people to prison is maybe for fewer of the people living here in the US, to maybe not break so many laws.

Personally, if it's between tax subsidies for Oil Companies or criminals in jail, I say keep the law breakers locked up and make Exxon pay taxes.

[infinitekid2002]

Originally Posted by xbook

Quote from a local newspaper:

"Police said Thomas and Anderson have extensive criminal histories. Thomas is an alleged gang member from South Los Angeles who was released from prison last December after serving time for being a felon in possession of a firearm."

Doesn't say why he was let out. But it does show that 2 of these criminals had prior records, and could have continued to be problematic. Apparently they were problematic.

Scottwww, I am bringing this up as an argument against just releasing prisoners from our prisons. Yes we do need to save some dough in this country. But let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater and start releasing criminals that will make our cities less safe. Prison is still meant to be a deterrent and punishment for criminals. An easier way for us to not send people to prison is maybe for fewer of the people living here in the US, to maybe not break so many laws.

Personally, if it's between tax subsidies for Oil Companies or criminals in jail, I say keep the law breakers locked up and make Exxon pay taxes.

It's unfortunate but this has caused a lot of debate and elected officials will need to do something about it now..building more facilities or whatever...there is a breaking point to prison overcrowding.

[Mr Tonka]

A real deterrent to breaking the law needs to be found and implemented. There are real reasons people don't want to be in Mexican, French, Chinese, Russian.... prisons

[KGB7]

Originally Posted by MP0WER

A real deterrent to breaking the law needs to be found and implemented. There are real reasons people don't want to be in Mexican, French, Chinese, Russian.... prisons

Trying telling that to human rights activists.

[scottwww]

Originally Posted by xbook

Quote from a local newspaper:

"Police said Thomas and Anderson have extensive criminal histories. Thomas is an alleged gang member from South Los Angeles who was released from prison last December after serving time for being a felon in possession of a firearm."

Doesn't say why he was let out. But it does show that 2 of these criminals had prior records, and could have continued to be problematic. Apparently they were problematic.

Scottwww, I am bringing this up as an argument against just releasing prisoners from our prisons. Yes we do need to save some dough in this country. But let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater and start releasing criminals that will make our cities less safe. Prison is still meant to be a deterrent and punishment for criminals. An easier way for us to not send people to prison is maybe for fewer of the people living here in the US, to maybe not break so many laws.

Personally, if it's between tax subsidies for Oil Companies or criminals in jail, I say keep the law breakers locked up and make Exxon pay taxes.

I partially agree with you.

The solution will have to be a longterm one. This cannot be fixed in a day. And I believe the SCOTUS opinion also suggested giving California five years to bring the prison population down to 110,000 rather than the two years given by the lower court.

Hopefully five years is enough time for Calfornia to comply and to do so with minimal negative impact on society.

Longterm, I would hope Californians would repeal their three-strikes law. Also, decriminalization of crimes that do not need to involve prison time might help. Then there is the need to rehabilitate in a way that people can become productively integrated with society, rather than having the prisons equipped with a revolving door.

The ideas probably already exist that could make this work for the long term. Hopefully the right people are in charge of this to find the answer.

Amendment 8 - Cruel and Unusual Punishment. Ratified 12/15/1791.

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

[UncleWede]

This is more of a continuing ploy to have the inmates transfered (along with the bill for incarceration) to county jails instead of state-run pens.