In an attempt to curb overcrowded prisons in California, Gov. Jerry Brown announced a plan to create a partnership between California’s prison guard union and the private, for-profit prison company, Correctional Corporations of America.
This alliance, one of the many plans that Brown has proposed, would involve Correctional Corporations of America leasing out one of its own private prisons to the state.
At the same time, public employees and members of the prison guard union will staff the facilities.
This would not only reduce the number of inmates in prisons by creating safer, healthier conditions for the incarcerated, but it would also save the state and taxpayers money.
While Brown definitely has the right idea to utilize private companies to assist the state in its various programs and activities would save money for the taxpayer, it’s sad that he chooses to apply this logic to the prison system.
The problem of the overcrowded prison population is the result of a growing issue of crime in the state.
Using a private prison corporation to house these inmates is only a temporary fix to a very complicated, long-standing issue of crime.
If there was an analogy to be used, it would be like trying to clean out one’s room or dorm of clutter and garbage to make room for the new school year.
Instead of actually throwing away the things one doesn’t need, one just shoves them under the bed.
The proposal by Brown, which also includes transferring criminals to out-of-state prisons, has created waves throughout California as critics of the proposals estimate that such actions could cost $300 to $800 million.
Many people have advocated for various solutions to the prison problem, including the Drug Policy Alliance, which suggests releasing inmates convicted of non-violent drug offences as well as reforming the policy on sentencing for drug offences.
This would not only reduce overcrowded prisons by potentially releasing hundreds of inmates, but it would also save the taxpayers money.
While there are certainly details in this proposal that need to be worked out, this seems to be a good proposal that would help reduce the costs of supporting the California prison system.
Instead of spending valuable time and resources prosecuting first-time offenders with no previous criminal record, a separate penalty could be provided that wouldn’t nearly be as expensive to the taxpayer, such as a fine or community service.
Or perhaps, better yet, create programs in association with private charities to support former criminals who seriously want to reform, reintegrate into society and actually reduce the crime rate in California instead of just moving prisoners around to make more room.
Nick Chavez is a sophomore political science major and a contributing writer at the Daily 49er.
