by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by Robert in Monterey [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

On Sunday, Justice Anthony Kennedy, who has responsibility for emergency orders in the 9th Circuit, blocked the release of a convicted murderer last night. Arnold declares victory over the forces of evil, and he can call himself ToughOnCrime^TM. Everybody wins, right?

The problem is that about three years ago, the department was renamed to include "Rehabilitation."  Apparently, that only matters when nobody is paying attention. But when a junkie who did an extremely stupid thing under the influence of drugs recovers, drops the drugs, and reforms his life, then it doesn't matter.  

In 2002, the parole board ordered Fred McCullough released because he had actually been rehabilitated, and was exhibiting model behavior in prison.  Gray Davis, our radically moderate governor, couldn't have one of those Willie Horton things chasing him around for the rest of his political career, so he denied the parole.  Schwarzenegger did the same thing when the parole board again recommended his release in 2004. The Ninth Circuit ordered McCullough's release, but Kennedy's order blocked the release pending further review. More over the flip

by Ilya Sheyman [courtesy of Blog for America]

(This is a personal diary, and in no way implies endorsement by DFA) 

Last week, there was a shocking report released that over 1% of America's adult population is in jails. Of course, the numbers are even worse when broken down into subgroups. Disproportionally African American, disproportionally there for non-violent drug offenses, and incredible rates of recidivism due to the lack of any sort of rehabiltation program, the system is fundamentally broken. 

More than one in a hundred adult Americans are in prison, a higher rate of incarceration than at any time in US history that is pushing the budgets of several states to breaking point, a report warns.

The Pew Centre on the States, a Washington-based research body, reveals that in 2007 the inexorable rise in the prison population saw the US cross what it calls a "sobering threshold". The number of prisoners in federal and local jails grew to 2.3 million, out of the country's adult population of 229.8 million, which gives a ratio of one in 99 adults behind bars.

When that statistic is broken down for different demographic groups, the proportion is even more startling. One in nine black men aged 20 to 34 is incarcerated.

read more »

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

by Sharon Kyle

Last month, in a piece I wrote on the unprecedented growth of the U.S. prison population, I asked, Are California Progressives Blind to the Prison-Industrial Complex?

We received a reponse from Marcy Winograd, President of Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles and Executive Board Member of the California Democratic Party, 41st AD.

Marcy highlighted several initiatives taken by Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles, including making prison reform and criminal justice a focus for their organization.

In addition, The Progressive Democrats of America has issued a challenge to public officials and presidential candidates, asking them to support reform of the prison-industrial complex, capital punishment, and other issues of concern to progressives.

We applaud these efforts and encourage the PDA and progressives everywhere to devote even more energy to these pressing issues.

To read the PDA 2008 Challenge, Marcy Winograd's letter, and our response click here.

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]