FruityBud
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As California considers how to reduce prison spending, it continues to overlook non-violent marijuana prisoners. Later this month, the legislature will be debating a plan by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to reduce $1.2 billion in prison spending as part of the states budget deal. Last week, a federal court ordered the state to eliminate 44,000 inmates over the next two years to reduce overcrowding.
However, a draft of the Administrations plan by the Department of Corrections budget office makes no mention of marijuana or other non-violent drug prisoners. Instead, it proposes raising the felony threshold for crimes such as grand theft, writing bad checks, and receiving stolen property. This would make it a misdemeanor instead of a felony to steal an automobile valued at less than $2,500.
In contrast, current laws make it a felony to sell a single joint or grow a single marijuana plant. Over the years, the state has repeatedly rejected proposals to reduce marijuana penalties. The governor has indicated his opposition to Assemblyman Tom Ammianos bill AB 390 that would eliminate pot prisoners by legalizing, regulating, and taxing marijuana.
The governors message seems to be, Dont tax pot, steal a car, commented California NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) Director Dale Gieringer.
To help cut prison spending, California NORML is calling on the legislature to reduce penalties for marijuana sales and cultivation from mandatory felonies to optional misdemeanors. If the state needs to eliminate prisoners, non-violent marijuana crimes are a good place to start, said Gieringer.
As of December 31, 2008, California had 1,538 marijuana felons in state prison, which is 15 times as many as in 1980. Another 30,000 prisoners are serving time for non-violent drug offenses - 12,000 of them for simple possession. The Legislative Analysts Office estimates that one year of incarceration costs the state $49,000.
Victims rights groups have attacked the governors plan for reducing the prison population by some 27,000 inmates, fearing that it will release dangerous and predatory criminals. Reformers argue that such concerns dont apply to marijuana and other non-violent drug offenses, which are consensual and have no victims.
Californians are urged to contact the governor and legislative leadership and urge them to eliminate mandatory felony penalties for marijuana offenses and include marijuana offenders in the states plans to reduce prison overcrowding.
hxxp://shuurl.com/R6366
However, a draft of the Administrations plan by the Department of Corrections budget office makes no mention of marijuana or other non-violent drug prisoners. Instead, it proposes raising the felony threshold for crimes such as grand theft, writing bad checks, and receiving stolen property. This would make it a misdemeanor instead of a felony to steal an automobile valued at less than $2,500.
In contrast, current laws make it a felony to sell a single joint or grow a single marijuana plant. Over the years, the state has repeatedly rejected proposals to reduce marijuana penalties. The governor has indicated his opposition to Assemblyman Tom Ammianos bill AB 390 that would eliminate pot prisoners by legalizing, regulating, and taxing marijuana.
The governors message seems to be, Dont tax pot, steal a car, commented California NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) Director Dale Gieringer.
To help cut prison spending, California NORML is calling on the legislature to reduce penalties for marijuana sales and cultivation from mandatory felonies to optional misdemeanors. If the state needs to eliminate prisoners, non-violent marijuana crimes are a good place to start, said Gieringer.
As of December 31, 2008, California had 1,538 marijuana felons in state prison, which is 15 times as many as in 1980. Another 30,000 prisoners are serving time for non-violent drug offenses - 12,000 of them for simple possession. The Legislative Analysts Office estimates that one year of incarceration costs the state $49,000.
Victims rights groups have attacked the governors plan for reducing the prison population by some 27,000 inmates, fearing that it will release dangerous and predatory criminals. Reformers argue that such concerns dont apply to marijuana and other non-violent drug offenses, which are consensual and have no victims.
Californians are urged to contact the governor and legislative leadership and urge them to eliminate mandatory felony penalties for marijuana offenses and include marijuana offenders in the states plans to reduce prison overcrowding.
hxxp://shuurl.com/R6366
