In what may be the largest early release of inmates in U.S. history, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration is proposing to open the prison gates next year for some 22,000 low-risk offenders.
According to details of a budget proposal made available to The Bee, the administration will ask the Legislature to authorize the release of certain non-serious, nonviolent, non-sex offenders who are in the final 20 months of their terms.
The proposal would cut the prison population by 22,159 inmates and save the cash-strapped state an estimated $256 million in the fiscal year that begins July 1 and more than $780 million through June 30, 2010. The proposal also calls for a reduction of more than 4,000 prison jobs, most of them involving correctional officers.
A gubernatorial spokesman said no final decisions had been made.
The administration, which is looking at across-the-board budget cuts to stem a budget deficit pegged as high as $14 billion, is looking for more savings by shifting lower-risk parolees into what officials describe as a "summary" parole system. Such a shift also would require legislative approval.
link HMMM...ok, so we DONT have enough money to keep frikkin thieves and drug dealers, etc. in jail...WHERE did all our money go? OOOHHH yah!:
Jubilant supporters of a winning $3 billion bond measure funding stem cell research in California predicted their victory will prompt other states to enact similar programs in defiance of Bush administration policy
The measure creates the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, which will dole out nearly $300 million annually in stem cell funds for 10 years starting in 2005.
linkI've been trying to find a video of the juror's head exploding from the Southpark episode about the "Chewbacca defense"...would fit so well
Ahh, here we are!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP5KzfAmp9c&mode=related&search=
