Tuesday, February 27, 2024

CALIFORNIA MAY CLOSE FIVE MORE PRISONS

By Bob Walsh



In 2019 the formerly great state of California had 129,417 people locked up in state prisons.  That number is now 93,579.  Those numbers can be considered a bit deceiving as a whole lot of people in California jails are doing felony convictions there rather than in state prison due to "realignment."  That is liberal speak for "we are going to fool the counties into agreeing to take felony prisoners long-term."  It worked.  

The state currently plans to shut down Chuckawalla Valley State Prison.  This is a relatively new prison but is hard to staff.  It is on the back side of nowhere.  It isn't hell but you can see hell from the parking lot.

The state has already closed down Deuel Vocational Institution at Tracy and the California Correctional Center, one or two state prisons near Susanville.  They have also closed down significant sections (called yards) of other prisons, though this does not give the same cost savings and actually closing down a whole prison.    

Last year the Department of Corrections (and Rehabilitation) cost the state $14.8 billion.  Next year the tentative budget is $14.3 billion.  The legislative analysts office estimates that closing down five more prisons could save the state $1 billion.  Gavin Newsom, the HMFIC of the formerly great state of California, is at least in public opposing additional closures.  He wants to hang on to the public employee unions endorsements as much as possible. 

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