By Senator Tom Harman, for the California Political News and Views, 1/23/10
In his recent State of the State address, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger addressed our fiscal deficits. He lamented the fact that on his watch, the budget for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has doubled. He waxed poetically, What does it say about a state that focuses more on prison uniforms than caps and gowns?
Moreover, the Governor is tired of California being a donor state. Recent estimates suggest that California gets back only 78-cents for every tax dollar sent to Washington. His answer? We need to work with the federal government to build a more fair and equitable financial relationship. I couldnt agree more. One obvious place to start has been staring California in the face for years illegal immigrants in our state prisons. While in WashingtonDC this week, he should be sure to include this important issue in his discussions with federal leaders.
The problem of criminal aliens is the proverbial elephant in the room. It is one of the least talked-about, most important issues in reducing prison expenditures without compromising public safety.
In 2005, an authoritative study by the Government Accountability Office estimated that there are 74,000 illegal immigrants incarcerated in U.S. state prisons[1]. More than 30,000 of these criminal aliens are inside California state prisons, placing an additional strain on our already overburdened system. Since the federal government is constitutionally-charged with controlling our borders, criminal aliens should be in federal prisons. But for these 30,000 alien felon inmates, Californias incarceration rate would fall below the national average. One out of every six inmates in our state prisons is here illegally. And California taxpayers pay dearly for that ignominious distinction.
Governor Schwarzenegger is failing to connect the dots. Just last month, Congress under the direction of the Obama administration agreed to cut $70 million from the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, or SCAAP, which provides funding to states and localities to help offset the high costs of incarcerating criminal aliens. These cuts could cost California more than $16 million in federal reimbursements. Where does that leave California taxpayers? Holding the bag for the federal government. We are stuck. We cant free these dangerous prisoners back into our communities, yet we are being given fewer resources to keep them incarcerated.
When the Governor talks about spending more on caps and gowns and less on prison uniforms, he should start right here and demand 100% compensation for housing federal prisoners.
Most importantly we must remember that although Californias corrections system is in need of reform, it is very effective in keeping the most dangerous criminals off our streets. Over the past ten years, our states prison inmate population has become increasingly violent. As the total inmate population has increased just four percent, the percentage of inmates incarcerated for crimes against persons (murder, robbery, assault, battery, rape or kidnapping) has increased by 34 percent. In contrast, the number of inmates serving sentences for drug possession has decreased 37 percent. Today, over 80 percent of Californias male inmates are serving sentences for crimes against persons or crimes that are aggravated by prior felony convictions.
So when the Governor talks about reining in prison costs, it should mean ridding our prison system of things like a Cadillac health care system and receiving fair compensation from the federal government for housing the criminal aliens. It should not mean releasing prisoners or compromising public safety. Californians deserve no less.
Political agendas are more important than safety of Caifornians. Something has to be done about this.
Maybe there will be a time that interests of taxpayers are being considered?
Wiccanwolf
Yes it is all about money not public safety. The Federal Government pays the state so much per Federal Inmate we house. It is a good thing because if the Feds had to house all the inmates that are in "Federal Custody" they would have to build at least 30 10,000 bed facilities around the country.
Now about 1/3 of those in Federal Custody are illegals. We rid ourselves of them and the violence will go down in the prison system. Also getting rid of the "Weight piles", and substituting formal educational classes to make the inmate population literate reduces violent behavior.
Now reforming the prison system means reeling in the unions, renegotiating contracts and benefits. Yes there are a lot of guards who pile in the overtime pay. When you are understaffed, you have plenty of overtime. The guards earn every cent of that. Yes their retiring with 10 years in, that is fair because of the stresses they face each and every day dealing with a population of known criminals. The strong possibility of getting harmed by their charges is a real possibility.
Catherine West
And the Fed. wouldn't have so much room for the Gitmo prisoners of war! How about the Supreme Court? Maybe this administration could learn something about 'accountability' for their misuse of taxpayer resources!
Jim Gribben
This report is just about as silly as our government. It doesn't make any difference if the state pays or the feds pay, it all comes out of the same pocket.. OURS Our state and federal prison systems are union owned and operated and are are so far out of control both in cost and mission assignment that the entire system needs a complete overhaul. This is only another symptom of what you get under Socialism.
garyrose
IF THE FEDERAL GOVERMENT INSISTS ON MAKEING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO HANDLE ILLEGALS? EVERY STATE THAT HAS TO DEAL WITH FEDERAL RED TAPE NEEDS TO CHARGE FOR EACH AND EVERY STEP? WHEN THE FEDS FIGURE OUT IT COSTS A LOT MORE BEING STUPID THEN TRYING TO BE SMART? THEY MIGHT CHANGE THEIR POLICIES AND START WORKING FOR AMERICA AND AMERICANS AGAIN.>>>>>>>>>>>JUST A REAL AMERICAN>>P.S. OBAMA SAY THAT?
la guerra
how can people sit there and not comment on anything else but the illegal mexicans?they have it hard too.its not just america,or haiti or anyother countries.people got to think,down in mexico where my family is from,the police work for whoever pays them money.if the mexican mafia pays the police to kill or clean up a mess for them.just to say for instance, if i wanted to kill somebody or needed somebody to be killed,all i have to do is pay the police to do it for me.how would you like to live in an environment like that????
la guerra
how can people sit there and not comment on anything else but the illegal mexicans?they have it hard too.its not just america,or haiti or anyother countries.people got to think,down in mexico where my family is from,the police work for whoever pays them money.if the mexican mafia pays the police to kill or clean up a mess for them.just to say for instance, if i wanted to kill somebody or needed somebody to be killed,all i have to do is pay the police to do it for me.how would you like to live in an environment like that????
la guerra
how can people sit there and not comment on anything else but the illegal mexicans?they have it hard too.its not just america,or haiti or anyother countries.people got to think,down in mexico where my family is from,the police work for whoever pays them money.if the mexican mafia pays the police to kill or clean up a mess for them.just to say for instance, if i wanted to kill somebody or needed somebody to be killed,all i have to do is pay the police to do it for me.how would you like to live in an environment like that????
Hank
All violent criminals convicted by hard evidence only, not by circumstantial evidence as there are too many cases where this evidence is found to be false or in error, that have murdered or seriously injured their victim and including violent sexual attack of a minor, should be castrated at the beginning of their incarceration, regardless of the length of their prison sentence. This would have a major impact on the amount of violence in our prisons due to the reduction in testosterone levels and any not serving a life sentence would also be far less violent following their release. For female criminals, this would be a hysterectomy. These procedures would insure that violent criminals would never reproduce any offspring with similar tendencies.
This would also provide a much stronger incentive not to become involved in a violent crime.
Illegal invader criminals should be turned over to our federal government for incarceration in a federal prison or to the law enforcement department of their home country for incarceration there to serve the full sentence of their conviction there, with the understanding that if ever caught back here in the U.S. the length of their prison sentence here would be waiting for them even if they serve the full sentence in their home country. They should also be informed that they will never be allowed to return to this country as a legal immigrant with their DNA and fingerprints taken and filed for possible future use to insure that this is imposed.
GET INVOLVED
CALL -OUR- CONGRESS @ 866 220 0044
DEMAND -OUR- IMMIGRATION LAWS BE ENFORCED !
E-VERIFY FOR -ALL- JOBS & GOV`t. PROGRAMS !
287g-->NATIONWIDE TO FIND & DEPORT -ALL- ILLEGAL ALIENS !
ATTRITION THROUGH ENFORCEMENT !
SEND "FREE" FAXES @ http://www.capsweb.org - http://www.numbersusa.com .
Learn more about illegal immigration @ americanpatrol.com - outragedpatriots.com - theterryandersonshow.com - cis.org - ccir.net - jbs.org .
GET INVOLVED !
CALL I.C.E. @ 866 347 2423 to REPORT "ILLEGAL ALIENS" & "THEIR EMPLOYERS"
google search-> work in the states build a life in mexico ->
VISA`s & WINTER HOMES-->HOW NICE !!!
thanks
GOD BLESS THE U.S.!!!
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