by Bob Walsh
The
formerly great state of California has gone thru a huge drop in prison
population, due in large part to "realignment" where convicted felons do
their time in local lockups rather than state prisons. Also, changes
in the law are making more and more crimes simply life-style choices,
like commercial shop lifting and vehicle theft, rather than actual
crimes.
The state
currently operates 34 prisons. One of already scheduled to close before
the end of this year, Deuel Vocational Institution outside of Tracy.
The God-Emperor Gavin Newsom is currently seriously thinking about
closing down four more in addition to that. Californians' United For A
Responsible Budget (CURB), actually a prisoner advocacy group, is urging
the state to close down ten prisons.
They
are supporting the closure of Avenal State Prison (a fairly new
facility), CCI Tehachapi, CMC Vacaville (about 70 years old) CMC San
Luis Obispo (aka the Old Folks Home), CRC Norco (an old resort hotel
which the military used as a hospital and rehab facility), CSP Los
Angeles (a fairly new facility), CSATF Corcoran (a fairly new facility),
Kern Valley State Prison (a fairly new facility), North Kern State
Prison (a fairly new facility) and Pleasant Valley State Prison (a
fairly new facility).
The
legislature is also possibly moving to severely restrict the use of LWOP
sentences, which would further cut into existing service populations.
Just what we need, more violent, dangerous criminals on the streets.
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