Recently, the United States Supreme Court has upheld a cap imposed by a federal court on California’s prison population in order to reduce prison overcrowding and improve inmate health care. This extraordinary measure was a direct result of the state’s failure to control the growth of its own prison population. Originally, California’s prisons were designed to house a population just under 80,000. However, at the time the cap was imposed, California’s correctional facilities held some 156,000 persons, which was nearly double the number that California’s prisons were designed to hold. In 2006, then – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger even declared a state of emergency in California prisons in order to prevent death and harm caused by severe prison overcrowding, which caused death of an average two inmates per week.
As a result, California has been ordered to reduce its prison population over a two-year period to 137.5% of the design capacity. This means that the state is required to release as high as 46,000 individuals. Despite its drastic effect, the court-mandated population limit is a necessary measure to remedy the violation of prisoners’ constitutional rights. Prisoners are crammed into spaces neither designed nor intended to house inmates. For example, as many as 200 prisoners may live in a gymnasium, monitored by as few as two or three correctional officers, or as many as 54 prisoners may share a single toilet. The court has also found numerous deficiencies in prison medical care that violated prisoners’ Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
The Supreme Court acknowledged public safety concerns, but determined that the prison population could be reduced in a way that does not increase crime to a significant degree. Believing that a remedy for unconstitutional medical and mental health care could not be achieved without reducing overcrowding, the Supreme Court has ordered reductions in the California prison population. As California implements the order, officials may find effective remedies that will end the constitutional violations without a significant decrease in the prison population. In such circumstances, the state can apply for a modification of the cap.
The San Diego Law Office of Domenic J. Lombardo is dedicated to defending criminal charges in State, Federal, and County courts throughout San Diego. For a free consultation, contact us at (619) 232-5122, or: info@attorneylombardo.com.
Tags: United States Supreme Court, criminal defense lawyer, criminal charges, California, prison population, reduction, court order, Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, federal court, prison, correctional facility, death, inmate, constitutional right, Eighth Amendment, public safety, medical, mental health, United States Constitution
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