Posted on 08/01/2006 6:18:25 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to build two prisons and other units to relieve extreme inmate overcrowding will cost an estimated $6 billion, Acting Corrections Secretary James Tilton said Tuesday.
That figure is part of the total amount California taxpayers will be asked to pay in the coming years toward reforming various aspects of the state's correctional system. Federal and state courts are overseeing reforms to inmate health care, mental health services, employee discipline and the juvenile justice division. They are requiring new construction and other changes that could reach billions of additional dollars.
The governor has called a special legislative session on prison reform that will run simultaneously with the Legislature's current session. Lawmakers return Monday from their summer recess.
Among the changes Schwarzenegger will seek are new prisons and community correctional centers to ease overcrowding. The nation's largest prison system houses about 172,000 inmates, although it was designed to handle less than 100,000. Some inmates live in hallways and gymnasiums.
The inmate population is projected to reach 198,000 within 15 years. The governor's plan calls for adding 43,738 beds by 2013.
"If I don't get these, I run out of beds in June of '07 or before," Tilton warned when asked about the consequences if legislators reject the governor's plan.
Schwarzenegger hopes to chip away at overcrowding through a variety of proposals, in addition to adding two prisons by 2011 at a cost of roughly $1.2 billion. They would house 9,000 inmates.
He also wants to spend nearly $2 billion to build temporary and long-term housing for 16,200 inmates at existing prisons.
It would cost another $2 billion to build or contract for several 500-bed community correctional and "re-entry" facilities. These would provide job-training, mental health therapy and other services to 9,000 male and 4,500 female inmates nearing release.
Another $500 million would be set aside for administrative costs and to meet requirements of the federal receiver who controls the prison health care system.
Receiver Robert Sillen recommended last week that the state build inmate hospitals instead of the two new prisons Schwarzenegger is proposing. The governor and receiver are set to meet privately Thursday.
This year's state budget already includes money to phase in the mental health beds required under a separate court agreement.
In addition to the $6 billion Schwarzenegger wants for construction, about $1 billion a year would pay the interest on the 30-year bonds and to operate the additional prisons and community correctional centers, Tilton said.
Democratic lawmakers who control the Legislature have been cool to the Republican governor's proposals and his call for a special session, which will be held simultaneously with the last month of the regular session. Lawmakers have hundreds of bills to consider before their Aug. 31 adjournment.
He should bill Vincente Fox....
seems it would be cheaper and more effective with a prison style fence and some guards at the border.
Well, not that big of a sum, given we throw away over $10 BILLION per year on illegals, and the numbers of them going into OUR prisons make Vincente Fox real happy. They are off of his "payroll".
Fox has done an excellent job of exporting his CRIME AND POVERTY to the USA, but it has been easy over the past six years -- he has a Manchurian Candidate in the White House!!
Fine the bejeebers out of employers who hire illegals and enforce other illegal laws and he wouldn't have to build new prisons.
We need to start jailing the employers now.The illegals will mostly go home when they can't find anyone willing to hire them.
Much. I picture a busline running one way.
I agree - we should get payment for all the cost of illegals who are being held from Mexicao. But I also wonder why there isn't a way to make prisons self-supporting.
Why not just return the scums to mexico?
The state's population is increasing rapidly. Everyday in Sacramento many people are arrested for violent crimes, and they will ultimately end up in prison. Do the math..more people in the state, more prisoners. They have to be put in a prison.
My vote's on Alaska. ;)
Little Siberia?
I can save CA six billion!
Deport all incarcerated illegals.
Next case...
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