Press Release

In 1999, Democrat Legislative Leaders Object to Request For An Additional Prison

In their first major clash, Democratic Governor Gray Davis and the more liberal legislative leaders of his own party are in a high-stakes battle over construction of a new, $335 million state prison.  The governor wants it. The Legislature's powerhouses don't....  Senate President Pro Tem John Burton, D-San Francisco, is even less enthused. "There's never been any justification for it," he said yesterday.  "Let's look at alternatives to crowded prisons before spending that kind of cash on a new one."  A Davis spokesman said lawmakers who do not back the prison are making "a mistake." (Greg Lucas, "Gray Davis Hits A Wall Over Funding New Prison," San Francisco Chronicle, 6/9/99)

Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Orders Special Legislative Session On Prison Crisis

"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared California's prison system dangerously overcrowded Monday and ordered a special legislative session to enact proposals to build new prisons and shift thousands of inmates from mostly rural prisons into new housing units in urban areas.... The governor proposed a four-pronged approach: building at least two new prisons; enacting rules to suspend some state laws to allow the new prisons to be built quickly; shifting 4,500 female inmates from prisons to community-based facilities closer to their families; and opening new facilities designed to help male inmates adjust to life outside prison.  The new housing for male inmates would serve inmates about to be paroled and would provide them with programs to help them get jobs and steer clear of crime. (Mark Martin, "Prisons In Crisis, Governor Declares," San Francisco Chronicle, 6/27/06)

For More Than 20 Years Republicans Requested The Construction Of Additional Prisons

"Michael Bustamante, Davis' press secretary, said the prison is needed because California's 33 operating prisons are overcrowded.  "We have 160,000 prisoners. We're at 195 percent of capacity.  The most conservative estimate is we'll have 40,000 new prisoners over the next 10 years," Bustamante said.  "We have an immediate real need now to build at least one new prison."  Davis' insistence on the new prison also rankles Democrats who endured 16 years of Republican governors whose focus was building more prisons at the expense of prevention and rehabilitation efforts.  So far, Davis has shown no sign of reversing that focus." (Greg Lucas, "Gray Davis Hits A Wall Over Funding New Prison," San Francisco Chronicle, 6/9/99)

DEMOCRAT INACTION CREATES INMATE RELEASE PROGRAM

200,000 Inmates Released Early - Vast Majority Only Served No More Than 10% of Time

"Nearly 200,000 inmates have been let go early since mid-2002 -- the vast majority walking out after serving no more than 10% of the time ordered by a judge.  By year's end, officials said, they expect that all inmates sentenced to county jail will serve at least 25% of their sentences.  It's a policy shift that Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca and Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley both support."  (Megan Garvey and Jack Leonard, "Early Release Rules To Be Revised," Los Angeles Times, 11/9/06)

          "Moreno joined more than 150,000 county inmates who have been released during the last four years after serving fractions of their sentences. Thousands, like Moreno, committed violent crimes when they would otherwise have been locked up, even with time off for good behavior....  As a result, nearly everyone now sentenced to 90 days or less is let go immediately. Many others leave after serving no more than 10% of their time, making Los Angeles County Jail sentences among the weakest in the nation." (Jack Leonard, Megan Garvey, and Doug Smith, "Release Inmates Early Has A Costly Human Total," Los Angeles Times, 5/14/06)

          "Crowding in Orange County jails will worsen in coming years because of poor planning by the county, according to a grand jury report released Wednesday.  On average last year, the jails were stuffed with 1,600 more inmates than they were designed to hold....  The number of inmates released early because of crowding has dropped significantly, from 19,340 in 1998 to a low of 252 in 2004, but the report still noted the grand jury's concerns about the 2,057 inmates who were given early release in 2005." (Sara Lin, "O.C. Faulted On Jail Squeeze," Los Angeles Times, 6/15/06)

32 Of 58 California Counties "Released Inmates Before They Had Completed Their Jail Sentences"

"Last year, 32 of California's 58 counties -- including Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino and Riverside -- released inmates before they had completed their jail sentences.  Los Angeles County, with the largest jail system in the nation, has led the way. In the 3 1/2 years before Baca closed jails, about 10,000 inmates were let out prematurely.  In the 3 1/2 years that followed, almost 150,000 were released three or more days early." (Jack Leonard, Megan Garvey, and Doug Smith, "Release Inmates Early Has A Costly Human Total," Los Angeles Times, 5/14/06)

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