By Chris Kelly
When I was growing up in San Jose, it was the safest big city in America. I know that the SJPOA is dedicated to restoring that designation, and that you’re going to need lots of help in these tough times. I promise to stand with you when I’m Attorney General.
We need innovative solutions from Sacramento to get out of the $26 billion budget mess, but instead we get schemes to release over 20,000 felons from state prison – not to mention the attempt to seize local government funds that may result in cuts for your department.
The prison release plan is supposed to save $1.2 billion, but that’s just accounting trickery. In fact, a Federal Bureau of Justice Statistics study finds that nearly 70% of early-released inmates are rearrested within three years, 20% of them for violent crime. That will mean more than $3 billion in increased costs from crime while causing serious harm to hundreds of thousands of innocent victims.
I've spoken to police chiefs, law enforcement groups and civic associations throughout California about the issue, and they're deeply worried about the crime wave this scheme will unleash. It will be hard enough to make San Jose a safer community in tough economic times without the problems caused by early release.
I know that we need to solve the budget crisis. But this misguided early release plan would do far more harm than good, and I need your help to stop it.
To organize against schemes like this, I’ve started the cause Protect California Communities on Facebook, which is already helping avoid the worst forms of early release. But the plan keeps coming back. Please join me at http://www.causes.com/protectcalifornia, and follow the activism instructions to help us beat it back again.
Over the last four years, as Chief Privacy Officer and Head of Global Public Policy at Facebook, I’ve been working with Attorneys General from across the nation and law enforcement across the world to build a safer and more trusted Internet for our more than 250 million customers.
Working together, I know we can bring the innovation of Silicon Valley to Sacramento and develop real, honest solutions to get California moving again.
Chris Kelly is Chief Privacy Officer and Head of Global Public Policy for Facebook and a candidate for Attorney General of California. He wrote this article for Protect San Jose.
Friday, July 24, 2009
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Good to see you taking such a tough stand on this, Chris. Best of luck.
ReplyDeleteI read that as 80% of all early release prisoners are not arrested for violent crimes within three years.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the fear, it's all "innovative" people like you have.
Anonymous July 26,2009 5:33P.M.,
ReplyDeleteMost people spend their entire life without getting arrested or ever having contact with the law. In fact, 90% or more of Americans do not committ crimes. It is the 10% of the population that is responsible for committing 90% of the crime. For you to suggest that it is "keep up the fear" because 80% of early release prisoners are not arrested for violent crimes within three years tells me your ignorant. Outside of murder,serious aggravated assault or a vicious sexual crime, most people get numerous chances before they go to prison. But, you think it is fear mongering because it takes them 3 years, I guess instead of 3 weeks, before they are sent back to prision. Your thought process and those of others like you is why this country is going to hell in a hand basket. Quite frankly I think it is moronic and dangerous. Wake up and smell the coffee!
SeeingRed
Kelly- the study you refer to does not even mention 'early releases', but refers to all released inmates. It's rather disingenous for you to add the words 'early release' to a published study in order to make your argument.
ReplyDeleteThe real problem with California is the insane parole system. In California inmates serve their entire term then are on parole for 3-5 years. The states with the lowest recidivism rate have indeterminate sentencing where inmates who exhibit good behavior are released before completing their sentence on parole with the threat that they will return to prison to finish their sentence if they reoffend. Nevada, a state that gives early releases for program completion, and has indeterminate sentencing has a recidivism rate of 29%, while California's is over 70% (the highest in the nation)
If you want to be Attorney General you should come up with some solutions to that problem rather than pounding your chest and acting tough about early releases
I am SICK of hearing about politicians being "tough on crime" - they are STUPID on crime.
ReplyDeleteFor seemingly intelligent people, it amazes me that they refuse to get "SMART ON CRIME".
California added an "r" to the California Department of Corrections - but they forgot to add the "R"ehabilitation.
Right now, a violent/sex offender is sentenced to a number of years at 85% automatically. Why? Why not give them time off for good behavior or completing REAL rehabilative programs while incarcerated? Why not give them an INCENTIVE to change their ways and the tools to do so?
Until the prison industry in California is audited and reformed, the 70% recidivism will remain and California will continue to lock up more and more of its citizens until there are not enough that are not in prison to support those who are.
California is not only almost bankrupt fiscally, they are worse - they are bankrupt morally in allowing prisons to flourish while condemning the youth and the elderly.
The Prison Industry of Human Warehousing is one of biggest money makers and political baseball bats used by politicians to scare the public into believing they can keep us safe by giving longer sentences indiscriminately. Tough on crime has only made longer terms for those who got caught and has done nothing to catch anymore or reduce the tremendous cost that was placed on the tax payers backs. What it did accomplish was to open the wallets of tax payers with the fear tactic of tough on crime and keep our streets safe. We are no safer and our law enforcement agencies are struggling.
ReplyDeleteWe need to put our money ito the community, NOT into the the P&P (Politicians & Prisons) coffers. Instead of improving our community they always seem to sweep problems into a prison in hopes no one will know. Meantime it festers into a huge financial mess.
We need community jobs and programs to help one another with rehabiltation and family support services and children services and senior services. Otherwise we are just a dog eat dog society. Like a bad Conan movie!
any and all polititians only have to reach into the belly of peoples' fears to 'invigorate' them into some inanne reactive action/mentality amd BAMMO, the mob mentality takes over from there. 'operant conditioning' or some other well known psychological approach, well documented and executed for years on the poor, ignorant, not so ignorant, educated and vulnerable sectors of any number of societies, past and present. tell people that they then have the answer to 'fix' that 'belly full of fear' and they all line up, ready to hand over their freedoms for some polititian's gain. sick, and its getting worse.
ReplyDeleteJust hurry up and release them if that will save some money. Stop with the scare tactics. I don't think it has been safe to leave your doors unlocked for years so it won't make any difference. Maybe we can save some money and give our children a better education so they don't end up in prison and add to the proble
ReplyDeleteCalifornia added an "r" to the California Department of Corrections - but they forgot to add the "R"ehabilitation.
ReplyDeleteI willnt vote for you because .. this is what broke calif people like YOU YOU
ReplyDeleteNO ! NO!
I agree with everything Madhatter has writen ...thank you, madhatter. we need to change the laws and the peoples way of thinking hatemongers that they are, because of all the drama they have heard,every one should be more understanding of others,one mistake does not make a person bad forever,give them a chance and give the prisoners the tools to make a better life for all...
ReplyDeleteWe could learn a lot from Japan's prison system. They don't screw around with criminals. They make their stay so unpleasant no one wants to come back.
ReplyDeleteWhat a crock of crap you are spewing. Two terms will inflame people, "early release" and "crime wave". California paroled 138,000 state prison inmates last year. Not one was released early. The California penal code mandates parole after a set term of imprisonment. The reason there is a 70% recidivism rate is California's failed rehab and parole polices. Where other states have adopted evidence based programs that have dramatically reduced their recidivism rates, California has adopted ever more draconian policies.
ReplyDeleteYour position and lies are just as despicable as that Henry T. Nichols person who single handedly bought and paid for changes to the penal code through lies.
I will never vote for you. You will prefer cali to fall over the cliff with debt's. You shell not make in office. You're kidding me aren't you. Think before you speak, you must think were stupit think again........
ReplyDelete