ChicoER Editoeial
November 3, 2015
After entirely too many studies and public relations pitches about the wonder and magic of prison realignment in California, it was refreshing to hear a more realistic side to the story.
That came in Tuesday’s newspaper, when reporter Andre Byik asked Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey to explain a dramatic increase in “failure to appear” charges.
The 115 percent increase seemed to indicate criminals are ignoring the court system because they don’t fear getting caught or the severity of the punishment.
These are called “rubber band cases” and the offenders “rubber bandits” because so many crimes are committed before the accused is finally brought in to court that the paperwork is bound together by rubber bands.
After prison realignment [state prison inmates dumped on the counties] and Proposition 47 [some felonies reclassified as misdemeanors], along with county jail overcrowding, more inmates are set free and told to appear later in court.
Said Ramsey: “What happens, that person is released, that person doesn’t show up, that person shows up next time when we catch them committing a new crime. Now we’ve got two cases. Now that person is released and doesn’t show up until he commits another new crime.”
By the time the habitual offender does appear, the paperwork is voluminous.
A study released in September by Chico State University criminology faculty and students said these habitual offenders strain the local criminal justice system. Ramsey agrees. He says prosecutors are working longer and harder, and can’t keep up with the workload.
The Chico State study said Butte County agencies have done a “commendable” job, and that’s true, but it certainly seems like a no-win situation for the local district attorney, sheriff and probation offices. They were dealt a bad hand but played it well. It’s still worth remembering, however, that they were dealt a bad hand.
That is too often forgotten as state government apologists try to put lipstick on the pig that is prison realignment. For example, a highly regarded research organization called the Public Policy Institute of California has kept a close eye on prison reform and never hesitates to point out realignment has reduced the prison population.
So it did what it was supposed to do. If that’s the best that anyone can say about it, that’s a hollow victory. Meantime, the state is spending more money on fewer prisoners, in part because it’s chasing rubber bandits all over the place. And while violent crime hasn’t shown an increase in the four years since Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan has gone into effect, petty crimes and auto thefts — the type of crimes that require bigger rubber bands — are on the upswing.
Such an outcome was to be expected. At least studies like the one produced by Chico State are being honest about it.
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