CA Prison Population
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The California prison system has long been one of the most over crowded in the country. There have been many efforts by state officials to get the prison population down.
There has recently been a shift in the prison system to where it is finally starting to go down. Many different policies and procedures have been enacted in order to make this happen. One of the most important is a revamping of the bail bonds system. Here are several different ways in which the prison population in California has been decreased and why this is important.
Mandatory Sentences
Mandatory sentences have both pros and cons in the justice system. These sentences are designed to make hardened criminals serve a long time in prison. However, what often ends up happening is generally good people getting convicted of a crime and having to serve several years in jail. There have been many examples of people committing petty thefts and having to serve time in the prison system. One of the most important changes over the past several years in the prison system is a reduction in mandatory sentences for first time offenders. There is a general agreement that first time criminals should be treated differently than those who have a long history of breaking the law. This is one of the biggest reasons for the reduction in crime and sentencing in California.
Better Education
Another important factor in the reduction of the prison population in California is better education for citizens living in the state. There are many people that have had to go to jail over small fines or misunderstandings. One of the most important factors of the prison system is the bail bonds system. Whenever a person is taken into custody, they can use the bail bonds system in order to get out of jail for a much lower price than they would otherwise. For smaller crimes, this is often only a couple hundred dollars or less. However, many people fail to show up in court and they end up having to go back to jail for breaking this bail bonds system. This article is a good overview of different changes that have been made to reduce the number of people in prison. When people in prison or in the justice system have a better overall understanding of how things work, they are generally better able to make wise decisions about their future.
Early Release
Another major factor in the reduction of the prison population is the early release program. There are many people that have been a jail a long time as model citizens. There are many work programs that allow inmates to work for a reduced sentence. Many inmates are able to drastically cut their time in jail down due to these programs. This has led to a huge reduction in the prison population in California. This benefits the state for many reasons, especially as they are dealing with a huge fiscal budget deficit.
Did you read about the newest bail bond scam