We suppose people in prison are consumers, too. The state of California's prison system has just been declared unconstitutional due to severe overcrowding. CNN says "California must reduce the number of inmates in its overcrowded prison system by up to 40 percent to stop a constitutional violation of prisoners' rights." Raise your hand if you want to go home. [CNN]
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too many people in prison for drug related offenses. Slap these people wrists and take a fat wad of their cash.
How long till Joe Arpaio offers to put up some more tents and dye some more underwear, and will take these prisoners off CA's hands?
Anyone know if this was the 9th Circus's Court decision?
@ApologeticBale_GitEmSteveDave: Two district judges and one 9th circuit judge as far as I can tell. Look like the loons on the 9th Circuit are the next stop, though.
@Bladefist: And get them some treatment. It's a health issue, not a criminal one.
(I'm not talking about a junkie breaking into your car and stealing your CDs for drug cash. I'm talking possession for personal use.)
@Bladefist: Hey, look at that, I agree with you! Decriminalize pot, tax it, and non-violent drug possessors with other stuff should get treatment or a fine, not prison. Imprison the violent people and the dealers.
They've also been in violation of several federal drinking water standards in at least 2 prisons for at least 3 years. One has illegal levels of arsenic, one has illegal levels of nitrates.
In some cases, the wardens and staff were not informed of the contamination (the arsenic is from natural sources in the local geology; nitrates from fertilizer runoff).
The arsenic prison was built in an attempt to relieve the overcrowding that is now, apparently, unconstitutional. So double fail for CA....
@Bladefist: What will probably happen is something close to this. Sort non-violent vs. violent, then sort by percentage of time served, then sort by some other criteria, such as the degree of felony/misdemeanor the inmates were convicted of. Take the final list to the parole board for approval.
Kentucky tried something like this a number of years ago. Unfortunately the governor at the time was a Democrat, and the usual right-wing monkeys started screeching bloody murder. Schwarzenegger might actually be able to pull this off.
Wait...are we saying that prisoners are consumers, and the product is their prison stay?
Failed state.
@Bladefist: Wow, I think this the 2nd time ever that I've agreed with you. I don't think it should be legalized immediately, but decriminalized. Get caught with weed, pay a $50 ticket. Revenue stream and then we can work towards legalization.
@Eyebrows McGee: Same with moonshine. Lets legalize it, cause I'm all about saving some money by making my own then going to the liquor store.
On another note, I don't think other drugs, say heroin, cocaine, etc. are drugs that you want people to have, so prison time for dealing is fitting.
The problem with imprisoning the violent people is that they have already hurt/killed someone. Drugs generally cause people to not think rationally and are willing to harm people to feed their habit.
They should give every prisoner with a life sentence to have a buyout plan!
Give them the option of the death penalty. Is it so inhumane if they get to choose?
40%!!!!!!!! If you don't own a gun, now's a pretty good time to buy one.
It's only a threat to public safety because they took non violent drug users and locked them up with murderers and rapists.
There is one upside, California will probably have to decriminalize most drug use to prevent having them sent to prison. Which also then turns busting drug offenders into a profitable business instead of a complete waste of money.
Criminal should have no constitutional rights. They comitted a crime and have to pay for it. Jail should NOT be a happy place; it should be so misserable they never want to go back.
I say take away the beds, and the tvs, and the AC and let them sleep on a cold wet cement floor.
@Eyebrows McGee: Much as I agree with the Feds decriminalizing pot and taxing it, I'm from Humboldt County, and if it happens, our micro economy will go bust. We get 500 million dollars of tax free money pumped into our county by pot growers, dealers, and the stuff they buy.
I say they execute the worst 40% (violent crime offenders please) , that will be a good deterrent as well.
@Corporate_guy: It might help with the budget if they tax it. I'm not sure that's the right way to go though. I can only imagine the kind of invasion from the scum of the Earth it would bring.
Oh dear god! How will our communities survive a mass release of marijuana smokers and 3 strikes shoplifters???? Won't anyone think of the children????
Maybe releasing the pot smokers from prison could be pitched as economic stimulus for the snack food industry?
no, I'm fine with China as long as they monitor their exports and work to fix their problems.
Though, I am a huge fan of Sheriff Joe in AZ
@jaydez: Judge Dredd? Is that you? It’s been a long time since I’ve encountered someone who thinks that all crime is the same.
@backbroken: What's your alternative for punishing people who repeatedly steal? Fines? Local incarceration? Harsh language?
@jaydez: I agree, if you compare our prisons to other countries', I think we lavish our prisoners with too much luxury. My friend visits prisoners, and he says they are places people WANT to go back to after getting out.
I don't think we should have French prisons, but our system is certainly not acceptable and eats too many tax dollars.
@Ingram81: You could say the same thing about alcohol. How many domestic abuse cases are because someone came home drunk and beat someone down? How many people are killed each year by drunk drivers.
I'd rather have potheads on the streets then drunks. Stoned people usually just stay home and eat Cheetos. Drunks cause trouble.
@Bladefist: I aggree outlaw smoking* and grandfather marajuana rights to the tobacco companies.
The public would pay $5 for weed for what they pay $10 now and everyone would make a killing...except for the drug dealers. I'd take it a step further and legalize heroin and cocain. Then it can be controlled. Crime would plummet.
The funny thing is that that drug dealers and the right wing would totally be lobbying against that ever happening.
I'm a smoker, but there is nothing but severe downside to smoking. A lot of smokers would quit if they made it illigal, it's juts too easy to go buy smokes as it is and this increasing the price thing really isnt working.
@jaydez: There is a saying that goes something like "You can judge a society by how they treat their criminals". I agree that the prisons shouldn't have hbo and xboxs. But they deserve basic human rights. A bed to sleep on, a pot to piss in.
@Corporate_guy: Yeah, when you lock up an 18 year old who stole a car and he's raped and forced to do gang bidding so that he can survive his 24 month streatch.
I'm not sure how he comes out, but I'm pretty sure rehabilitated isnt the word I'd use.
@rockasocky: There is quite a difference between China & America. You know like the fact we have freedom of speech, more than one political party, generally the lack of political prisoners. And America doesn't censor your internet, we can join the North Korean Friendship Association if we wish or read the DPRK News website if we wish. My dad works in China and hates how oppresive it is, oh well he will be retiring soon.
While I think Jails should still be decent as people are innoncent until proven guilty, once they go to prison I don't think they should have any luxuries like TV. But then I guess on the other hand, I don't want non-violent non-stealing drug users in there either.
I'm under the impression that they will release repeat non-violent larceny offenders and small time drug users. They will release the thieves becasue theft is good for the economy if you have to go and buy everything you already own again. And if its insurance paying for it, like a home burglary or something, then you get an upgrade. Also, i bet the sale of personal use handguns goes up as well, so Cali's economy could use a drug fueled theft upsurge to help local business'. Its like a bailout, only less dangerous.
@jaydez: The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons -Dostoyevsky
No constitutional rights for prisoners?!?!?!? Listen, I'm a republican but that's just bull.
Those who have been convicted of crimes are to be seperated from the rest of socety for the purpose of resitution, protect society and to rehabilite the inmate. Not to treat them like dogs for a few years and then they'll be to scared to come back.
I bet you even think the system is fair and equitable.
@Eyebrows McGee: If they legalized pot, maybe everyone's *taxes would go down* and the state would be able to send actual money to taxpayers as refunds instead of the IOUs they're sending.
Conservatives would whine and cry, but I thought they didn't like taxes?
@jaydez: I have a friend who spent 15 days in jail for driving 79 in a 55. Admittedly, it was not his first speeding ticket, but he has never been in an accident. Should he have the same treatment as a child molester or a murderer?
@zigziggityzoo: Do a prisoner exchange - 10-12 prisoners go into Bernie Madoff's penthouse, while Madoff and other Wall Street crooks go into prison.
@jaydez: Sheriff Joe - crook. I'd love to see him serve time in his own jail for the kickbacks he's probably taking....he's a real-life parody of the corrupt Southern sheriffs in movies and TV shows.
They should turn the island of Saipan into one big jail. Better than a bunch of brothels for Tom DeLay.
@LJKelley: Agreed, although prison guards would be the first people to defend giving TV to prisoners - it pacifies them.
It can also be used for discipline - go into the hole, and they show you an endless loop of Snuggie, ShamWow, Cash4Gold, and Enzyte commercials.
@ApologeticBale_GitEmSteveDave: California is already housing some of its inmates in out-of-state facilities, including Arpaio's tent town.
@oneandone: Triple fail actually. About two years ago our prison health care was also deemed unconstitutional and is now being completely revamped by an independent federal agent.
@GuinevereRucker: You've hit the issue and don't even realize it. Yes, many of them want to go back after release, but it isn't because prison is awesome. It's because after release, they have no way to start their lives over and often fall back into their old lifestyles. Put more money toward education, training, and rehabilitation in general and our prison population would drop because recidivism would be MUCH lower.
I have visions of the Governator terminating them.