Up To 46,000 Ordered Released From Overcrowded Calif. Prisons

dgridley · 05-23-2011, 01:25 PM

The US has more prisoners in prison than any other country in the world.. up to 25% of the world's prisoners are American.

As a consequence of overcrowding in Calif. prisons, up to 46,000 prisoners have been ordered released:

California inmates: Supreme Court orders California to release inmates - latimes.com

pk · 05-23-2011, 01:59 PM

If they did their time and it's thought that they can do better by being released, well time will tell. But on the other hand, we now will have 46,000 more people out there looking for jobs.

dgridley · 05-23-2011, 02:03 PM

This is a forced "early release" due to overcrowding.. many probably didn't need to be in prison to begin with and many who are released may go back to their previous "job"..

Quote:

Originally Posted by pk

If they did their time and it's thought that they can do better by being released, well time will tell. But on the other hand, we now will have 46,000 more people out there looking for jobs.

pk · 05-23-2011, 02:05 PM

Quote:

This is a forced "early release" due to overcrowding.. many probably didn't need to be in prison to begin with and many who are released may go back to their previous "job"..

I of course hate to read anyone is locked up when not needed. Just thinking how difficult it will be for many of them coming out at once when jobs are already difficult to find. For those that may have a life waiting I hope it works out for them.

dgridley · 05-23-2011, 02:10 PM

Prisons have become such "big business", my theory is a lot are locked up that really don't need to be or sentenced for long periods for economic reasons.. federal aid, free labor for the state, etc.

It's like making sure kids aren't truant because the schools lose out on aid for that day.. one wonders where economics stops and education (or rehabilitation in the case of prisons) begins.

Latina · 05-23-2011, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dgridley

This is a forced "early release" due to overcrowding.. many probably didn't need to be in prison to begin with and many who are released may go back to their previous "job"..

I was about to comment the same thing lol

Once charged with a felony, it is soooo difficult to find work & get on that right path, since most do not want a felon working for them. I assist people with getting back on their feet every week, but of all the companies we service only 1 will allow a felon, so my help is limited at this point.

We see good people who did serious time for theft or drugs & will do well cleaning it up once working. We also see many who we can not place in jobs due to the nature of their crime or not having openings at that time... They can pound that pavement day after day & no one wants to give them a chance (which I also understand). Within a few months they are homeless & desperate, which leads them back down that old path again in order to survive... It's not right, but I understand it.

Then you have your bad ones who come out and never try the right path, just head right back to that same lifestyle.... They are the obvious ones I do not give a chance.

Blue Baboon · 05-23-2011, 04:59 PM

Let's hope the ones that they are releasing aren't the child molesters and rapists.

I'd hope that they release the ones that won't do harm to others just to be on the safe side.

I've seen a couple people that I know who had decent jobs and still got in trouble with the law after being given a second chance. They then went on to mess up their lives a second time, even a third time. I guess having a good job wasn't enough to stop them. To be successful, they should have stopped hanging out with their old druggie friends, but they didn't. They had to learn their lesson the hard way at least 2 or 3 times. You would think once would be enough in their case.

**keith** · 05-24-2011, 06:38 AM

Heard a bit on public radio about this yesterday.

58 guys to one toilet. 2 and 3 persons to a 6 x 9 cell. Supreme Court said it is "cruel and unusual" to stack up inmates like they've been doing.

Regards,
Keith

dgridley · 05-27-2011, 11:25 AM

Here's a graphic giving a breakdown of what people are incarcerated for in California.. I suspect this problem isn't specific to California alone..

So, which segment of the population would you release?

Blue Baboon · 05-27-2011, 12:10 PM

I'd release the murderers, rapists and child molesters into a shark filled ocean. That would solve 2 problems at once. It would free up room in the prisons and rid the world of all the scum.

pk · 05-27-2011, 01:59 PM

Quote:

So, which segment of the population would you release?

I guess I would start of course with the ones that did the least violent crime and looked to see how much of their time they served. The ones that served the most and was closest to being out would be released.

The sex offenders which would have to be rape, and/or any violent crimes of any nature (murder etc) would not even be considered.

dgridley · 05-27-2011, 03:52 PM

Seeing as we're close to admitting we've lost the War on Drugs, what about drug users or those incarcerated for mere possession?

pk · 05-27-2011, 04:47 PM

Quote:

or those incarcerated for mere possession?

I guess that would fall under a lesser violent crime. But it would have to start with how much they had on them, what it was, where did they get busted, (near a school etc) and how much time they have left.

dgridley · 05-28-2011, 11:27 AM

In any case, I think there are too many in prison who probably could have benefited more from psychiatric care or addiction programs.. prison does not rehabilitate and it's obviously not a real deterrent to crime. I don't know what the answer is but overcrowding is not it.

pk · 05-28-2011, 04:32 PM

Quote:

In any case, I think there are too many in prison who probably could have benefited more from psychiatric care or addiction programs.. prison does not rehabilitate and it's obviously not a real deterrent to crime. I don't know what the answer is but overcrowding is not it.

I agree. But it's easier to throw someone in prison then try to figure out if they would benefit from psychiatric care or be placed in a program.

dgridley · 05-28-2011, 05:07 PM

My theory is they throw people in jail because of the money they get from federal and state programs and support industries.. big money in incarceration, so much so the private sector is now involved.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pk

I agree. But it's easier to throw someone in prison then try to figure out if they would benefit from psychiatric care or be placed in a program.

dgridley · 05-30-2011, 06:03 PM

Oops!

Figured this might happen..

Computer glitch releases 450 California prisoners with "a high risk of violence" - Tech Talk - CBS News

pk · 05-30-2011, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Oops!

Figured this might happen..

Geez..you think they could be a bit more careful when dealing with all of this.

dgridley · 05-30-2011, 10:34 PM

Could be someone was paid off..

Quote:

Originally Posted by pk

Geez..you think they could be a bit more careful when dealing with all of this.

pk · 05-31-2011, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Could be someone was paid off..

Of course. Money is always in the mix of everything.

Latina · 05-31-2011, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dgridley

Seeing as we're close to admitting we've lost the War on Drugs, what about drug users or those incarcerated for mere possession?

Drug users arent locked up unless they were selling or carting... simply using drugs isn't Illegal, selling & possession is... if you can make sense of that! I had an officer tell me that it is only legal to test someone if they are driving a vehicle or have committed a crime, because it isn't illegal to have drugs in your system otherwise. He seriously told me I could smoke all the pot I want, but buying, selling & having it on me/in my home would get me in trouble. How you do one without doing the other is beyond me, but then again I never bothered to try & figure it out lol

I would agree with you, but depends on the drug that got them locked up. Weed isn't physically addicting & cant kill ya. Now if they were selling Oxy or Heroin I see it different... those are hard core & have killed many kids & adults.

Latina · 05-31-2011, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dgridley

Oops!

Figured this might happen..

Computer glitch releases 450 California prisoners with "a high risk of violence" - Tech Talk - CBS News

They make it sound like the 8% error is better!

I'm with you, someone was paid off or something!

dgridley · 08-14-2011, 03:26 PM

Then you have cases like these:

Pennsylvania Judge Gets 28 Years in 'Kids for Cash' Case - FoxNews.com

Someday, the situation will be reversed.. the good people will be locking themselves in to get away from the crime and violence.. we'll have walled cities and fortresses.