Sup. Court decision = over 30K prisoner release to improve health care

California has not been spending any money on prison capacity for decades ( we pay our guards the second highest wage in the US though) ……. the average age of their prison system etc. is 50 years...

http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/FPCM/docs/MasterPlan2009_pages_1-249.pdf...

I have to agree with the majority decision, this should not be a partisan view imho, its not the inmates fault that California has dropped kicked this. I live here, I don't want them out but , this has been going on for 20 years...again, ala immigration etc. the Politicos punted till it became impossible to avoid.

( and we know part of the reason, in our legislature it became political poison, there by unfeasible to fund bills to build prisons to incarcerate more minorities)

In any event, either they pay more to rent space elsewhere or…..





High court backs cuts in Calif. prison population

The Supreme Court on Monday narrowly endorsed reducing California's cramped prison population by more than 30,000 inmates to fix sometimes deadly problems in medical care, ruling that federal judges retain enormous power to oversee troubled state prisons.

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 were more than 143,000 inmates in the state's 33 adult prisons as of May 11, meaning roughly 33,000 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. The lawsuit challenging the provision of mental health care was filed in 1990.

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."

more at-

High court backs cuts in Calif. prison population - Yahoo! News

 

Supreme Court orders release of over 30,000 prisoners in CA to … improve health care « Hot Air

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The problem is that the state officials failed to do what was necessary. That picture in the article made the case.

I think the people of california have good reason to wish their politicians were more responsible. But this is not the first time for this.

 

What political party has been in controll of Cali for the past 50 years?

 

The actual number is 40,000 prisoners have to be released from the SCOTUS overcrowding decision today in California. Some are calling this the most radical decision ever handed down in our nation's history by the SCOTUS.

 

He blew a gasket over Boumediene as well, and none of his dire predictions came true in that case. He needs to get a grip.

The ruling follows precedent and is appropriate per the 8th.

The issue is California’s legislature abdicating its taxing authority to the people. California ‘republic,’ indeed.

 

catch 22. even if we let them raise taxes till their hearts content, which they have been btw, not as much as they want but they have, 20 years and counting here we sit, what makes you think they would use the money for prisons?

and if I recall we voted those folks in who, it appears in your eyes have hamstrung their own ability to just tax willy nilly and thank god.

 

California must release prisoners, Supreme Court rules – All the latest

Are all 148K "non-violence" drug offenders? Probably not. Although I consider non-violent drug offenders one's caught with weed (regardless of the urban myth marijuana possession (not distribution) doesn't get you tossed in jail, without having any priors. Crackheads, herione addicts, meth addicts etc that might go to jail for possession, steal, mug people, break and enter, are irrational and can be driven to violence if they need their fix.

Scary that the SC rules to just release 148K inmates who had their day in court and lost! That is not justice!merged del

 

They need the votes I guess, inmates are notorious for voting Democrat.

 

Isn't there already a thread on this?