Deal reached for new state prison

State corrections officials and a court-appointed overseer of prison healthcare have agreed to build a new 1,733-bed facility for sick and mentally ill inmates at an estimated cost of $1.1 billion.

The deal, announced today, appears to end a long-running standoff between state officials and the receiver, J. Clark Kelso, who was appointed by U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson to improve medical care for inmates.

Kelso originally proposed seven new facilities with 10,000 beds, along with renovations at existing prisons, at a cost of $8 billion. State officials refused to allocate the money.

The new facility, in Stockton, would be partly on the site of a youth prison, the Karl Holton Youth Correctional Facility, which would be torn down.

Construction would be funded with bonds approved by the Legislature two years ago and would begin in 2010. The facility would cost $297 million a year to operate.

Kelso said he still plans renovations of healthcare clinics at other prisons.

--Michael Rothfeld in Sacramento

Comments

[Dr. B. Cayenne Bird]

There are about 40,000 mentally ill prisoners, and the inhumane conditions create newly afflected people everyday. Only three major state mental hospitals for civilians and prisoners alike exist. I do not believe that punishers know anything about healing and take a strong position against mental hospitals being controlled by CDCr, but in light of the present emergency, this is a better action than doing nothing at all.

It certainly doesn't solve the problems and is just about as minimal a solution as the State could possibly do, It is not at all the "end" of it. In 1850, Dorothea Dix was able to get the mentally ill out of prisons and jails and into people's homes and hospitals. It stayed that way until Ronald Reagan turned them out on the streets and the State refused to pick up the responsibility. Mental illness hasn't always been a crime since it is impossible to punish a sick person into being well.

We have gone backwards and billions are being spent to punish sick people. It's insane to do this and no one comes back to their communities better off, the opposite is true. A band-aid is a band-aid however much the wound is gushing.

[Hypatia]

It's about damn time! This barbaric abuse of unfree people is a disgrace to society. Disclaimer: I have no one behind bars. I just think there are so many who don't belong in prison -- -- victim of antiquated or ill-considered vengeful laws.

And for those who do, especially the harmless old and the chronically sick, it's past time to treat them like human beings. Doesn't the public care that hundreds have died in captivity for lack of medical care? The answer, sadly, is probably "no".

Are we a third world country, or America!

[Outsource]

We should outsource our prison system to another country just like we have done with so many other industries.
Mexico, India, China or Iraq. We could help that country build a facility for a fraction of the 1.1 billion this one is costing. The yearly operating cost would be nowhere near a quarter of a billion this one is costing.

It is a win win situation and save california billions per year.

[Itsashameshame]

You may think that this is the solution. BUT IT IS NOT>>>
When will people get it.. They need to release and sentencing reform and removal of the THREE STRIKES not amendment.... CITIZENS have no idea what is really going ON!!!! So called witnesses are being paid by our tax money to lie against someone. Police offices no longer have THE DIGNITY THAT THE OLDER POLICE OFFICERS HAD... THEY ARE CROOKED AND EVIL... Even the older boys in blue want to just RETIRE because they see the DIRT that goes on.. The D.A.s all they want is POINTS ON THEIR BACK FOR MORE MONEY.. Judges DON'T CARE THEY WANT TO BE REELECTED SO THEY DONT' CARE HOW THEY RULE.. THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.. WHEN THEY GET SWORN IN THEY RAISE THEIR HANDS AND SAY I WILL DO MY BEST SO HELP ME GOD BUT DO THEY REALLY SEEK GOD??? doubt IT.. OR WE WOULDN'T BE WHERE WE ARE AT NOW. THAT IS WHY CALIFORNIA HAS NO MORE MONEY. GREED GREED GREED FROM STATE TO OUR COURTS AND CITIZENS ARE NOT BEING TOLD THE TRUTH WHAT GOES ON.....

[Larry B]

How many colleges have been built in California since the last prison was built in California?

[concerned mother]

This is a wonderful step forward. It may not provide enough solutions, but it is a start. We are all terribly aware of the crowded facilities in every prison, and particularly the lack of space for those who have health problems. The medical staff is overwhelmed. They can't find medical records, they don't have staff to see the number of sick patients, they don't have ROOM to even see them.

I wish those who are infirm and no threat to society could be released from prisons RIGHT NOW... to hospitalize them for life is cruel. The crowding in our prisons is intolerable, cruel and downright stupid... where are the legislators who could fix this?... oh, that's right, they're on vacation, enjoying the "fruits" of non-labor. The Fed. Court ordered 40,000 released. Our legislators couldn't figure out how to do that.

Delay.... postpone.... delay.... oh, that's right. Prisoners are "down for life".... they're in no hurry. How cruel can humans be to other human beings? Let's at least provide prisons at 137% capacity. That is what it would be after 40,000 are released.