[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Marc Bautista and Cindie Fonseca
SEIU Local 1000

California’s $16 billion deficit is forcing the state to make some hard choices. But our union’s research estimates that we can trim hundreds of millions in waste from the California Department of Corrections each year and improve our prison system at the same time.

We outline a series of cost saving reforms in a new report called The California Bottom Line (available at www.thecabottomline.org) that is part of a series of reports by SEIU Local 1000 designed to help Californians save billions over time by making smarter choices in state spending.

The second edition of The California Bottom Line details more than $1 billion in taxpayer savings including:

• Fully implementing rehabilitation reforms enacted in AB 900 can save $561 to $684 million;
• Cutting overspending on contracting out in prisons would save between $125 and $178 million; and
• Promptly recalculating prisoner release dates, as ordered in two state Appellate Court decisions and one state Supreme Court decision, could save up to $218 million.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Beatrice Smith-Dyer

As Governor Schwarzenegger sifts through the bills before him the next few hours and days, he will find a rare opportunity to alleviate both the prison crowding and budget deficit our state has had to confront this year. This opportunity comes in Assembly Bill AB 1539 (Krekorian), The Fiscal Savings and Medical Release Bill, which streamlines the existing medical release process for people in prison who are terminally ill, relieving the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) of high medical costs incurred in caring for this population. AB 1539 also extends the reach of the law to include permanently medically incapacitated people in prison.

I am currently imprisoned at the Central California Women’s Facility, one of the two world’s largest women’s prisons, both here in California. Now that the state’s prison healthcare system is under federal receivership, it is common knowledge that medical care here is a joke. Since 2000, I have volunteered in the prison hospice, and have been a peer counselor there since 1996. I’ve seen so many people back there die this past decade. A young lady here recently passed away, all of a sudden. It doesn’t matter how old or young we are – everyone faces death. Some happen to know when their time is coming.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Candid comments in hearing and no nonsense letter to Governor lay out the problems in department and demand action

By Frank D. Russo

Senate President pro Tem Don Perata sent Governor Schwarzenegger a strongly worded letter about the state prisons shortly after the Senate Rules Committee unanimously confirmed James Tilton as Secretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).

Perata's letter advises the Governor that CDCR, which is in charge of the prisons, is structurally flawed, still misses key leadership appointments, fails to meet basic objectives including establishing a clear chain of command, and has repeatedly not responded to direct court orders.

Tilton's confirmation will now go to the full Senate where he should have no problem receiving final approval. While Tilton had many supporters testify on his behalf, there were many in attendance who personally testified or submitted information of horror problems experienced by inmates in the system.

The committee held two long hearings delving into the many problems faced by the prison system and its managers before taking the vote.

At the hearing, Perata said to Tilton:

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

From today's LA Times:

Two appointees whom Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sent to fix California's dysfunctional prison healthcare system pushed a $26-million, no-bid contract for outside medical services while contract reviewers steadfastly maintained it was overpriced and illegal, records and interviews show.

But instead of providing a strong step toward reforming the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's $1.8-billion medical system, the handling of this relatively small contract erupted into a fight that forced out the two appointees and highlights what critics say are systemic contracting breakdowns that helped bloat healthcare costs at the state's 33 prisons. (LA Times 6/4/07)

Well, I guess I would add one thing. Privatization is not the answer to all things public. If Arnold wants to get this stuff done, then he should be willing to pump money into prison health care. This little debacle was a disaster from the get-go, but the conservatives just love their privatization and had to help build the prison-industrial complex. But like most other conservative privatization efforts, it was a debacle. Well, at least prisoners get single payer health care...

by dday [courtesy of Calitics: Soapblox California - Front Page]

The State Legislature decided to run away from hard choices and add brick and mortar to simply delay our prison crisis without addressing root causes.

Legislative leaders brokered a deal Wednesday to add 53,000 beds to the state's prison and jail systems while increasing rehabilitation opportunities for inmates with added drug treatment, vocational and education programs.

The $7.4 billion agreement to help ease California's severe prison overcrowding contained no provisions for any early releases of inmates.

At the same time, it did not include any changes to the state's parole or sentencing systems. And it drew heavy criticism from the prison system's two largest public employee unions over a provision that would allow the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to transfer 8,000 inmates out of state in a program now on hold in the appellate courts.

The transferring 8,000 inmates part won't get through the courts.  And holding firm on sentencing and parole is lunacy, absolute lunacy.  It just means that we'll all be back here in 5 years.  Meanwhile construction money will be doled out and more nonviolent offenders will be locked up.  And the "increasing rehabilitation opportunities"?  Lip service.

over...