IF PROP. 5 ISN'T THE ANSWER, WHAT IS

To the Editor:

A day in the life, I read in the news today, oh boy. The UDJ Dec. 3, page
14 "Judge leans toward early release of inmates" after the California
voters struck down Prop. 5, granted it was written too loosely, but now we
may potentially see by order of a federal court judge, saying "releasing
inmates early may be the best option for ensuring that California
prisoners receive adequate medical care."

People of the great state of California, this lawsuit is nothing new, for
which not only has the CDCR an lawmakers have failed to give any
recognition. A prison system designed to hold less than 100,000 in
treatment space now holds 156,300 inmates, where some "mentally ill
inmates receive counseling inside prison bathrooms."

"This is so serious -- there's nothing funny about it -- but it's bizarre."

So I ask of you, attorney General Jerry Brown, and Senator Diane
Feinstein, opponents of Prop. 5, what do we plan to do now?

Facing a cap and releasing potentially thousands of inmates without any
rehabilitation, where at least Prop. 5 would have granted the released
inmates, while saving the state of California millions if not a billion
and a half dollars with rehabilitation treatment.

Now, let's not forget providing intervention statewide for our children,
thus preventing further members of the discarded of the CDCR prison
population with drug treatment programs.

Now for the good news. Recently, I saw a brochure stating "Introducing
drug intervention and treatment" programs being introduced at Mendocino
County A.O.D.P. My hat goes off to Patricia Guntley for obtaining such a
grant to prevent further gang proliferation, and to the Mendocino County
Sheriff's office in reaching out towards our children at the Boys and
Girls Club, near where young Cesare was shot to death during a police
standoff.

Sheriff Tom Allman is reaching out in a proactive way, including the boot
camp being run by the probation department, combined with D.A. Meredith
Lintott and the beautiful and honorable Cindy Mayfield, Justice of the
peace.

Mendocino County, you do hold not only promise but direction for the rest
of the great state of California.

All we need now is a new jail. How can that be done?

I don't know, perhaps we can tax that weed?

Trent Foster

Ukiah