Why Not Just Build A New Prison? (tax, live)

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by shooting4life

The cost to house prisoners in ca is much higher than other states, we should be outsourcing the housing of prisoners to cheaper areas.

India?




j/k

[cre8lite]

my solution? those that are on death row & exhausted all their options? kill 'em. not sure how much room this would create, but it's gotta help.

[shooting4life]

Originally Posted by cre8lite

my solution? those that are on death row & exhausted all their options? kill 'em. not sure how much room this would create, but it's gotta help.

The problem with death row isn't so much the process but the horribly underfunded criminal justice system. When they first tried and failed to get rid of the DP in Califonria the anti DP groups changed strategies. They started convincing the legislator to reduce funding for death row appeals grinding the process to a near standstill. Once someone is convicted and sentenced to death it takes near 10 years for just an attorney to be appointed to their defense because of lack of funding. This drives the costs up dramatically because of the costs to house the DR inmates. Last year the anti DP tried to get the DP overturned stating the process costs to much when they are the reason it is so expensive.

[Flamedown]

The current reality is that Californian's want the criminal system to be tough on crime, although Prop 36 shows perhaps they are starting to want to see the system lessen its toughness. While it is cheaper to house prisoners in other states, it also raises the Constitutional issue of access to their families. I am just surprised despite the cost, there has been no moves to open another prison. The prisoners are not going to go away. The system is experiencing Federal oversight due to the overcrowding. It just seems like over the long run it would be better to open some more prisons rather than just ship them off elsewhere or ship them off to the county or release them early if they haven't not received the help that can reduce recidivism.

[shooting4life]

Originally Posted by Flamedown

The current reality is that Californian's want the criminal system to be tough on crime, although Prop 36 shows perhaps they are starting to want to see the system lessen its toughness. While it is cheaper to house prisoners in other states, it also raises the Constitutional issue of access to their families. I am just surprised despite the cost, there has been no moves to open another prison. The prisoners are not going to go away. The system is experiencing Federal oversight due to the overcrowding. It just seems like over the long run it would be better to open some more prisons rather than just ship them off elsewhere or ship them off to the county or release them early if they haven't not received the help that can reduce recidivism.

It is not a constitutional issue having prisoners serving time out of state.

It is much cheaper to house people out of state in prisons that are already built, it only makes sense from a business standpoint.

[SportyandMisty]

Originally Posted by JackC1027

Really??

It's extremely expensive (that's an understatement) to build a prison, and even more expensive to maintain a prison. The state is broker than broke, and the amount of people in prison across the country is absolutely ridiculous. We house more prisoners than any other country (we have 25% of the worlds prisoners, while only having 5% of the worlds population), more than 1% of our population is incarcerated. The prison system is broken, instead of rehabilitation we choose incarceration. Many of the individuals behind bar are non violent offenders. Building more prisons only makes the problem worse, it solves absolutely nothing.

I think we should outsource the prison population to Mexico. They can build and operate prisons for a lot less money.


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[SportyandMisty]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

... The solution to prison overcrowding isn't to build more prisons. The solution is to roll back 3-strikes-you're-out laws, so judges have more discretion in handling cases.

... Another solution is rapid execution.


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[Harrier]

Originally Posted by SportyandMisty

... Another solution is rapid execution.

Death Row at San Quentin is overcrowded but it is not the cause of the prison system's overall overcrowding.

That has occurred because we are packing the lockups with too many non-violent, low level offenders, mostly people who have been convicted of various drug charges.

Ending the misguided war on drugs will have the biggest effect on reducing the prison population.

[kettlepot]

Originally Posted by Flamedown

I think it is a valid question. California is currently spending a great deal of money to house 9,000 inmates or so in other states. The prisons are still nearly at 140% capacity. Why not build some more prisons?

If Californians want to be tough on convicted criminals, then they need to be willing to provide the money that will house them.

Originally Posted by ferretkona

We have some brand new federal prisons sitting empty right now in CA. Halliburton build them during the Bush/Chaney reign of terror. I understood they were built anticipating civil unrest.

California built prison after prison during the 80s and early 90s. Then Gray Davis, in all of his brilliance gave the prison guard unions feather-bedded pay raises during his 5 years in office. I believe in 2002 as the economy was slipping into recession, the state was facing mounting deficits, and inflation was in the 1%-2% range, Davis authorized an 8% pay increase for the CPOA (Correctional Peace Officers Association). A unionized government employee prison guard costs the state well into the low/mid $100ks each year in pay and benefits.

As for privately built, privately staffed prisons, our legislature would rather see hell freeze over before using tax dollars to fund a private, non-unionized job in competition with their unionized brethren.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by Flamedown

Just curious why out of all the various options I hear being talked about and reported on in the media to solve California's overcrowded prison conditions, the only one I never see mentioned is building some new prisons?

Because they are idiots