Editorial Says Compromise Prison Plan Could Lead to ‘Comprehensive Sentence Reform’
A Contra Costa Times editorial states that a compromise plan -- by Gov. Jerry Brown (D) and Democratic lawmakers -- to comply with a federal court-ordered prison population cap "creates a rare window of opportunity for California to seriously address" the issue of "comprehensive sentence reform." It argues that "[i]nmates who receive treatment for drug addiction or mental illness, who remain connected to their families and can find employment, are much less likely to return to crime." It concludes that sentence reform "is the logical next step" to improving California's prison system.
- "Contra Costa Times Editorial: California Must Seize its Chance To Fix the Prisons" (Contra Costa Times, 9/20).