Yesterday, a three-judge panel granted California additional time to reduce the state’s inhumanely overcrowded prison population – rejecting key components of Gov. Brown’s massive privatization plan and putting a hold on all out-of-state transfers to public and private prisons. Instead, the judges suggested re-evaluating the detention of 3 strikers, youth in adult prisons, the elderly/sick, and low risk prisoners.
The state has until October 20th to report back to the court and a new deadline of January 27th to reduce the prison population by 9,600 people. The judges also suggested additional extensions may be granted pursuant to the proceeding conversations.
In response, ColorOfChange.org Executive Director Rashad Robinson said: “The Court’s decision sends a strong message that lining the pockets of for-profit prison corporations is an unacceptable path to alleviating California’s chronic and inhumane prison overcrowding. Gov. Brown’s shameless privatization plan is out of touch with a growing national trend towards decreasing dependency on incarceration and rejecting contracts with private prisons.”
“The United States incarcerates more people than any other country in the world and the private prison industry’s makes billions by promoting and exploiting mass incarceration and racial-bias in the criminal justice system. In order to maximize profits, prison companies cut back on staff training and other key services, creating highly dangerous and abusive conditions. What’s more, these companies spend millions lobbying for failed criminal justice policy that put more people behind bars.”
“Profiting from torturous conditions, lockup quotas, and longer sentences is shameful. Nearly 30,000 ColorOfChange members agree, and have joined our campaign pressuring investors, board members, and elected officials to end their support for the industry.”
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With more than 900,000 members, ColorOfChange.org is the nation’s largest online civil rights organization.