June 26, 2008 - 11:04am
Republicans warn early prison release is possibility
By Ben van der MeerCalifornia Republican legislative leaders sounded the alarm over possible early release of prisoners Thursday morning, pushing the state legislature, administration and attorney general's office to move on a bill that they said would rectify the situation.
Assemblyman Todd Spitzer (R-Orange) and State Sen. George Runner (R-Antelope Valley) said S.B. 1705 would provide needed fixes for A.B. 900, a bill passed last year aimed at building more state prisons that has yet to be implemented.
"It really is a crisis we need to fix," said Senate Republican Leader Dave Cogdill (R-Modesto), explaining that a three-judge panel is considering implementing a cap on prisoners otherwise, which could lead some prisoners to be released early.
A trial that could result in that scenario is scheduled to start in November, Spitzer said. By passing S.B. 1705 before then, the state could avoid the trial.
Runner and Spitzer said A.B. 1705 would address three deficient areas of A.B. 900: Correcting language allowing bonds to be sold on Wall Street for prison construction, giving greater flexibility to the state's corrections department on the kinds of beds the new prisons would need, and speeding up the construction process for those prisons.
Republican legislators at the press briefing said other state officials seemed oblivious to the threat of prisoner early release.
"When is the legislature going to wake up?" Spitzer said.
He added that both the administration of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the attorney general's office led by Attorney General Jerry Brown had also failed to address A.B. 900's needed fixes in a timely manner, either with each other or with the legislature.
Spitzer pointed out that many parolees are sent to urban areas such as Los Angeles and Oakland that are largely represented by Democrats.
S.B. 1705 is awaiting approval by the Senate Public Safety Committee before it could move to the floor in either the state Senate or Assembly for a full vote.
Runner said he believes that both Republican and Democrat legislators will support the bill, because A.B. 900 had support on both sides.
If it passes, he said, it's also likely to galvanize Republican support for a proposed bond to go before voters that would address prison health care.
A receiver has been put in charge of that aspect of state prisons after a judge found the state's handling of the situation to be insufficient.
The bond has been put forward by the receiver as a partial solution to that problem. It is unclear whether such a bond could still make the November ballot, if approved by legislators.
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Syndicate
We're paying now for the folly of Three Strikes
It's crazy to send people to prison for 25 years to life for very minor infractions. Now we're paying the price warehousing at great expense all these mostly poor people who would never be in jail if they could have afforded a lawyer instead of some law student who just met them the day before the trial. Why don't we spend the same amount sending people to rehab? That's what most of them need. Let non-violent offenders pay their debt to society by working jobs, making restitution to the victims, paying taxes, and taking care of their kids. More prisons are not the answer.
Fix the Bill they never even read!
AB900 needs to be fixed because these legislators never even read the bill before they voted on it! It was doomed before the ink dried. All the players here have received money from Broadcom Billionaire Henry T Nicholas who was indicted on drug trafficking, prostitution, and back dating billions in stocks. Henry just checked out of a rehabilitation facility and faces years in prison himself. Question is, did The Governor, Todd Spitzer, Pete Wilson, Gray Davis, George Runner and Jerry Brown take part in these parties Mr. Nicholas held at his mansion? Mr. Nicholas also funded both initiatives Prop 6 and prop 9 that will be on the Nov. ballot! Was drug money used to fund these initiatives that will cost California taxpayers billions more and jam our prison with more inmates serving even longer sentences? Are we being sold more bait and switch initiatives like the Three Strikes Law that Mr. Nicholas also funded “ NO on Prop 66” to defeat an initiative that would have fixed this flawed law? The Feds should investigate every politician that was involved with this criminal billionaire! Follow the money and it appears they all did!
It's about money..
Spitzer, Runner and the other 'law and order politicos in the Ca legislature are bought and paid for by CCPOA and the corporate prison industry.
They know that putting non-violent offenders in prison doesn't make anyone safer, and they don't care- it's a quid pro quo - they got elected by the unions and corporate interests who's very existence depends upon growing this atrocious prison system, don't expect them to do anything other than 'pay back' their donors.
Not all of the crooks are behind bars
Apparently not all of the crooks are behind bars. I wouldn't vote for anything these guys support. If they support it you can believe it will cost billions of dollars more than it is already. And they say criminals are dishonest and dangerous. I used to love California, now it is run by liars and thieves.
Runner and Spitzer...and supporters..what a bunch of liars
The public has been force fed their lies.
They are self serving creeps in a position of power. Blame them for the deaths of short term inmates, blame them for tearing the california families apart. Bit by Bit.
Blame them for the taxes being wasted at a critical time in our state and causing our children to suffer. Anyone who makes so many false statements and outright lies should be serving their own prison sentence.
Anything to do with Spitzer and Runner, don't vote for it!!!!
Anything associated with Spitzer and Runner will cost more money!!! I wouldn't put those two drama queens in charge of my neighborhood watch program. They are trying to make a name for themselves to further their career, they are not for the people, just for the special interest groups that support their lifestyle. VOTE NO NO NO ON MARSEYS LAW. Hey folks, whenever you can comment on an article...WRITE VOTE NO ON MARSEYS LAW!!!! It will cost us billions....see the legislative analyst report on this law!!! We the people of the United States of America are OUTRAGED at the situation that we are in right now.....we don't want to pay any more than we already are!!!!!!!! ENOUGH of wasting OUR MONEY.
Fed
The Fed's have been in the prison for three years..gone through all the inmates for release and they have hand picked the ones for release. Why not put that in the paper!!! Mr. spitzer!!! Grow up Ronald Regan did his releases without all the Lies and deceat.
Lies and Innuendos
Spitzer and Runner BOTH have used fear-mongering and downright lies to try and get their pet legislations passed. The sheeple have bought into it before - are they ready to wake up now and do their homework? The "Safe Neighborhoods Act" and "Marsy's Law" will only add billions more to the cost of the justice system,and will increase the prison overcrowding crisis. They vote down things such as Mike Machado's "Package" which would save 500M it's first year (and not release priosners early), yet they say the Dem's are holding things up. Get real - this state has had 13 YEARS to get into constitutional compliance. It's Spitzer, Runners and the like who got us into this mess in the first place!!!
It's Spitzer and Runner who need to wake up.
Californians are finally waking up to the scare tactics these politicians use that do NOTHING to reduce crime - only to lock more people up and cost tax-paying Californians millions more dollars each year.
If anything has the name Spitzer or Runner on it - DON'T BELIEVE IT!!!!! and don't vote FOR it.
Spitzer is a non-stop alarm!
Spitzer and Runner continue to promote fear based legislation that will cost Californians billions.
AB900 was passed illegally as lease revenue bonds. Prisons do not provide revenue! This bond was passed behind our backs because we have consistently refused to vote FOR prison construction bonds.
Don't be fooled by their fear mongering regarding murderers and rapists, etc, being released early!!
There ARE many, many, low-level, non-violent offenders in prison, especially women. There are thousands that could be diverted to re-entry facilities.
I, personally, would like to turn Saddleback Inn in Santa Ana into a re-entry facility where parolees could earn their first months with sweat equity.
Are you listening Mr. Spitzer? Lots of great ways work on recidivism rates without spending BILLIONS of our money on prison beds that have PROVEN not to work!
Save PRISONS for the serious and violent Inmates.
Remember people, 90% of parolees are coming home to our neighborhoods! Better well equipped with job and housing opportunities than coming home from overcrowded conditions where most had to spend every moment just staying alive!
I made it. I was a 9 point, low-level, non-violent offender. I am not the only one. Lets let the legislature know we want our tax dollars spent on reducing the horrible numbers of our citizens being locked up ~ mostly because of the war on drugs! Rehabilitation before incarceration IS working!
Don't believe the hype. They shouldn't resort to lying or fear mongering! Shame on them!!
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