The Fleecing of California

[Courtesy of Larry D., a prisoner correspondent in California] The Fleecing of California The fleecing of California is being perpetrated under the guise of “Prison Reform.” Recently there was a loud cry over California’s over-crowded prisons. And, once again, our great Governor has come up with this brilliant plan to reform the prison system, or should we say, fleece the public? He wants to spend $10 billion dollars to build more prisons. Common sense tells us that if we “build-em” we’ll “fill-em.” In other words, no matter how many prisons California builds, the system will always be overcrowded because of California’s outrageous sentencing laws. California is the only state in the country that warehouses its mental patients and non-violent offenders under the “Three Strikes Law.” Both men and women are serving 25 and 50 years to life for crimes like drug possession, receiving stolen property, petty theft, and joy riding. In 2004 there was a tremendous effort to change this law so that it only applied to violent offenders. But, our governor went on TV and told the public that rapists, child molesters and murderers would be released if the measure passed. He robbed the public of an opportunity to right a wrong, because these were nonviolent offenders, and most have never killed, raped or molested anyone. They are drug abusers with petty drug related offenses. With the proper drug and alcohol treatment, the nonviolent offenders in California’s prisons could become productive tax-paying citizens instead of tax burdens. But, the truth of the matter is, California’s weakest and most vulnerable citizens are now considered to be a commodity and job security for the prison system. “Wake up California,” you are being fleeced. One local newspaper put it this way: “Building more prisons is like telling an obese person that all he needs is a bigger pair of pants." The prison system is obese, and should not be allowed to continue devouring California’s resources. Education and treatment, “not prisons,” is the best investment for California’s tax dollars.