YES ON 5: PRISONS BREAKING BANK

I believe the Department of Corrections is at the center of the state
budget crisis. Its budget has more than doubled in just the last four
years. Prisons built to hold 100,000 are being crammed to hold more
than 170,000. The Legislature has approved another $7 billion to
build more facilities and the federal courts have taken over the
healthcare portion due to CDCR mismanagement and propose to spend
another $8 billion on medical facilities (including a prison hospital
in Ventura County).

On average, California spends $46,000 per year per prisoner.
California's prison industry is breaking the bank. We simply cannot
afford to lock up everyone with a drug problem. It is estimated that
more than 70 percent of the prison population abuse drugs and
alcohol. Many are in prison because they have an illness - they
suffer from drug addiction. "Rehabilitation" programs in prison are
nonexistent or a joke. I would like you to give special consideration
to Proposition 5 - the Non-Violent Offender Rehabilitation Act -
because while it directs the state to spend money on drug and alcohol
rehabilitation services, it more than pays for itself in real
taxpayer savings in the short term and much greater benefit in the
long term. It will save lives and reduce prison overcrowding. It will:

. Cut prison spending by $1 billion each year and cut prison building
by another $2.5 billion.

. Reduce the numbers of nonviolent people locked up unnecessarily.

. Improve public safety by reducing recidivism.

I believe Prop. 5 builds on the enormous success of Prop. 36,
California's treatment-instead-of-incarceration law, that:

. Annually diverts more than 36,000 nonviolent drug offenders into treatment.

. Has saved California nearly $2 billion (net) since its adoption in 2000.

Tuesday, voters have an opportunity to promote alternatives to the
costly and unsustainable prison industry and the unwinnable war on
drugs. Please join me in saying yes to Prop. 5.