Another warning about US prison policy: Justice Kennedy laments the state of prisons in California, U.S.
Feb 08, 2010
from Carol J. Williams' story in the LA Times:
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy criticized California sentencing policies and crowded prisons Wednesday night, calling the influence that unionized prison guards had in passing the three-strikes law "sick."
In an otherwise courtly and humorous address to the Los Angeles legal community, Kennedy expressed obvious dismay over the state of corrections and rehabilitation in the country. He said U.S. sentences are eight times longer than those issued by European courts.
"California now has 185,000 people in prison at $32,500 a year" each, he said. He then urged voters and officials to compare that expense to what taxpayers spend per pupil in elementary schools.
"The three-strikes law sponsor is the correctional officers' union and that is sick!" Kennedy said of the measure mandating life sentences for third-time criminal offenders.
3 Strikes in California
Incarcerating every inmate--violent and nonviolent--is sheer lunacy. As Justice Kennedy stated it costs approximately $32K a year to incarcerate one inmate in a California state prison. Can we hold offenders accountable in other ways that are cost effective, drive down recidivism rates, and increase victims' satisfaction? Yes. It's called restorative justice.
The state of California can no longer afford to imprison every offender. Smart crime policies is what we need. Thank you Justice Kennedy for speaking the truth.
Lisa Rea
Founder, The Justice & Reconciliation Project