Empty jail cells are saving millions (San Francisco)

[depakid]

Source: SF Gate

The San Francisco jail population has dropped 21 percent since March - the same month that the Police Department crime-lab scandal broke, leading to the dismissal of more than 750 pending drug cases. "The timing seems to make it obvious that the reduction in jail population is related," said Sheriff Michael Hennessey, who runs San Francisco's lockups.

At the same time, the Police Department is reporting a dip in crime, which may be another reason more jail cells are empty.

Before March, San Francisco's daily inmate census averaged 2,100; today, the average is 1,650, said Eileen Hirst, Hennessey's chief of staff. As a result, the sheriff closed Jail No. 6, a dorm facility at San Francisco's jail complex in San Bruno. The smaller inmate population has saved the city nearly $1.7 million in overtime costs - deputies had been working mandatory overtime to keep the jails adequately staffed - and another $232,000 in food bills, between March and June 30, Hirst said. She said July brought continued savings.

Police shut down the besieged drug analysis lab amid accusations that a technician working there skimmed cocaine that was brought in to be tested as evidence. The employee has since retired. Drugs seized by San Francisco police are now being tested by outside contractors.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/31/BAIU1EME1N.DTL&tsp=1

[upi402]

1. So... there's an open position: Cocaine Tester

in the city eh? Well, reduced prison costs and a jobs program too!
We need to legalize pot and restore rational sentencing. Be nice to break the growth industry that is the prison system.

[Lasher]

2. The prison industry won't like this.

When prisoner population is down, profits don't roll in as much.

[Proletariatprincess]

3. Thats exactly right.

For profit prisons have corrupted the Justice system and the so called Drug war has corrupted law enforcement.
Does any other industialized country allow for profit privately owned prisons? I'm not aware of any....but I really don't know for sure.

[Wilms]

5. For profit prisons have corrupted the political system, too. n/t

[No Elephants]

20. And some judges.

[Merlot]

26. The most heartbreaking part of "Capitalism: A Love Story" was the teenagers

who were sent to juvenal prison by the judge who was getting kick backs from the for profit prison.

[destes]

7. Apparently an English speakers' phenomenon

The US, UK and Australia have for-profit prisons. Israel's supreme court outlawed them last year on constitutional and moral grounds.

Personally, I wonder if the terminology is misused. I mean, when the government is owned by for-profit corporations doesn't it stand that all its facilities are "for-profit"?

.................of the people, by the people and for-profit the people

[Uncle Joe]

23. Good for Israel's Supreme Court.

:thumbsup:

The concept of "for profit prisons" is immoral and ultimately can only lead to evil.

[Kolesar]

12. In Ohio, the prison-employees union lobbies against judicial system reform ...

... non-incarceration sentences that are probably more effective than what is done now.

[Lasher]

13. What a sinister thing for them to do.

They are promoting misery and waste so they can capitalize on it. I'll bet they rationalize that by telling themselves they are protecting us, when what we really need is protection from the likes of them.

[Jackpine Radical]

16. Not just in Ohio.

While private prisons are a terrible idea, guard unions in public prisons in many places are also very interested in keeping the inmate census high.

[Kolesar]

27. I want to buttonhole my state rep and tell her I want relaxed drug laws

But I have to be careful how to phrase it.

I gave her campaign $$$, so we are buddies.

[slay]

4. Putting drug offenders in jail is a waste of tax payer money and space

if we're gonna spend money dealing with them - send the hard core addicts to rehab and legalize marijuana. problem solved, case closed. wow that was so hard to figure out. :eyes:

*on edit - i know people are going to say - what about the dealers? they are just filling a void on the supply side to meet the demand. legalization of all drugs and a massive education program is the only real solution but i doubt people are ready to wrap their minds around that reality yet. at least we can keep people out for only use and possession.

[Scruffy1]

6. Exactly

The war on drugs has been a dismal failure. Drug addiction is a medical problem. I sometimes here even some of the most progressive people being guilty of drug descrimination. The old saw that my drugs are ok (usually pot and booze) but that "other stuff ought to be illegal". Booze is still the number one killer drug in America and leads to huge crime problems but is accepted in our culture despite its social consequences, but other addicts go to prison.

[droidamus2]

8. One possible problem

Though I agree with your point that legalization, rehab and education is the best solution on your second point of dealer vs user I can see one possible problem. Like many conservatives the drug warriors will not give up easily so I can see the following happening. The outcry gets big enough that drug possession is no longer illegal (a good thing) so the drug warriors start lowering the amount it takes to be considered a dealer. So what would now be considered just simple possession becomes a 'dealing' amount and they can claim they aren't busting users they're busting dealers. To be a complete solution the dealing side has to be dealt with in some reasonable manner as well.

[slay]

24. I agree

straight up legalization and strong education for all drugs is the only way to go for a long term solution. Once people are truly educated, instead of blasted with questionable DEA propaganda, I feel that almost all would steer clear of the hard-addictive drugs and stick to marijuana and the occasional hallucinogen.

but since we probably have a LONG time before we can beat back all the anti-drug hysteria and propaganda put forth by Nixon, Reagan, and Bush Sr, for now i'd settle for legalizing weed and letting all others arrested for possession go to rehab or even go free if they are not ready for rehab. even that is way too open-minded for most people i'm afraid.

[glowing]

15. Real education is the only way too. The DARE shit they say about marijuana is insane.

We had this one kid in high school who would wear his DARE shirt, and at the same time be so freaking high it wasn't funny... just to make the statement on how stupid the program was. Real education would have real people who have been addicted (which I believe happens in some schools) come in to talk with kids about what its like and what it can do.

Just legalizing marijuana would take care of the crime problems at the border as well... AND all that tax revenue finds its way into the coffers. Imagine..."this road built for you by the toker's of America" LOL.

[12string]

18. DARE

Drugs Are Really Expensive

[old mark]

9. The real block to legalization is profits - the politicians, banks and -yes-

the cops- are making a large amount of free cash to ignore the big dealers and just bust the little guys.

I worked in several addiction treatment programs and I see little interest in expanding them - they didn't pay anyone under the table...


mark

[BolivarianHero]

10. Politicians don't support legalisation sadly...

Democrats in CA oppose it because they're cowards and think they'll look weak for not being tough on crime. One they more Democrats will realise that it's better to look weak in the eyes of the ignorant than to look stupid in the eyes of the wise.

Republicans oppose it because anything hostile to the prison industrial complex and anything representing genuine fiscal responsibility is an anathema to whatever the fuck it is that the lunatics stand for.

[Yeahyeah]

11. Shouldn't those jail cells be filling up with guilty Police Dept. people?

[saigon68]

14. The employee has since retired.

Living large on a huge pension

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

25. Apparently, he left toot sweet. *sic*

:hide:

[saigon68]

28. 'tout de suite'

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

30. Ergo the "sic."

:shrug:

Not a big fan heterographic homophone jokes?

[stray cat]

17. Wasn't it Reagan who saved alot of money by releasing patients in psychiatric wards?

some of them homeless to the streets

[Unvanguard]

19. It's ridiculous that we have to make this argument in terms of money.

But if it works...

[Nikia]

21. I think that it is important to make this arguement in terms of money

There are people demanding cuts in all sorts of social programs including education because people are taxed too much. Few of those people are demanding cuts to jails and prisions. It needs to be said that incarcerating people is expensive and the cost of locking up non violent drug offenders is a burden on taxpayers.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

29. Oh, but for things that cause misery, no price is too great.

Sometimes I think they don't actually want to have money and enjoy the mundane pleasures of life. Maybe the only thing they're able to enjoy is the suffering or others.

[Uncle Joe]

22. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, depakid.