California’s Property Crime Has Increased Because of State Prison Realignment, Study Says
California's prison realignment plan has caused property crime in the state to increase significantly, according to a report from the Public Policy Institute of California. In 2006, U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson ruled that federal oversight of the state's prison health care system was needed after determining that an average of one inmate per week died as a result of medical malpractice or neglect. To help curb prison overcrowding, the state implemented a plan by Gov. Jerry Brown (D) to send inmates convicted of lower-level crimes to county jails. The report finds that nearly 18,000 offenders are no longer in jail or prison as a result of the reform plan.
- "Report Links Property Crime Spike to California Prisoner Reduction Plan" (Branan, "Sacto911," Sacramento Bee, 12/10).
- "Report: State Prison Realignment Has Resulted in Increase in Property Crimes" (Herdt, Ventura County Star, 12/9).
- "PPIC Study Finds Possible Fallout From Realignment" (Orr, "KXJZ News," Capital Public Radio, 12/10).