1 in 100 Behind Bars: California is Doing its Part!
The New York Times ran an article yesterday about the Pew Charitable Trust report that says one out of 100 U.S. citizens is in the clink. Where does California figure into the picture? Well, at one time we were number one in imprisonment, but due to a dip in prison population, that honor goes to Texas. But don't think we've been ignored by the good people at Pew. We received our own section in the report entitled California: $8.8 Billion and Growing. Sounds promising. We're the "undisputed" leader in prison funding. Suck on that, Texas! That's a 216 percent increase over what we were spending 20 years ago. Always the overachiever, Schwarzenegger just signed a bill promising another $7.9 billion and 53,000 beds. There's room for all of us! Texas is a "distant second in spending." Humbling, isn't it? (click 'more' for Fun Facts!)
We spend $2.1 billion annually on prison healthcare, up 210 percent from 2000.
Hep C treatments cost as much as $30,000 per inmate annually.
There are 113,358 inmates in the California prison system older than 50 and we pay about $70,000 per to keep them from dying.
California paid over half a billion dollars in overtime to prison staff, with six employees earning more than the $219,179 annual salary set aside for Gov.Schwarzenegger.
I call top bunk! -Andy Wright
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