High court backs cuts in Calif. prison population

AP via SFGate ^ | 5/23/11 | MARK SHERMAN, Associated Press

[SmithL]

WASHINGTON (AP) --

The Supreme Court on Monday endorsed a court order requiring California to cut its prison population by thousands of inmates to improve health care for those who remain behind bars.

The court said in a 5-4 decision that the reduction is "required by the Constitution" to correct longstanding violations of inmates' rights.

Justice Anthony Kennedy, a California native, wrote the majority opinion, in which he included photos of severe overcrowding. The court's four Democratic appointees joined with Kennedy.

[Republic Rocker]

First BUST the state unions...... save the money and build more prisons. That would increase employment as well. Then enforce immigration laws and get with it on death row....

[TheOldLady]

firing squads

Sometimes I wish we could do that.

[newzjunkey]

Back in 2007, Arnold & the Legislature passed AB900 which was aimed at solving overcrowding by, among other things, adding 40,000 new beds via prison construction. The federal courts, however, ruled no other solution was good enough EXCEPT releasing prisoners.

[newzjunkey]

Actually, new prison construction was part of AB900 from 2007. The federal courts said the only solution good enough was mass release, not new construction, not outsourcing.