Budget Problems Prompt Early Release of LA Inmates03-31-04
By Howard Breuer
"It's unprecedented for the department to be releasing this number of people," said Baca spokesman Steve Whitmore.
The Los Angeles County jail system, California's largest, has been releasing some inmates early since 2002 due to a budget squeeze. In addition to recent budget reductions, the department faces an additional revenue loss of $310 million over the next three years, Whitmore said.
The sales tax increase, which is being pushed by Baca, would generate $500 million a year, which would be shared with the Los Angeles Police Department and other county police agencies.
But Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley said the "catch-and-release" policy undermines efforts of prosecutors and courts to properly punish criminals.
Since June 2002, Whitmore said, the department has prematurely released 2,231 spousal abusers, 2,016 people caught driving without valid licenses and 1,683 drunken drivers.
He added that 972 inmates who committed assaults with deadly weapons were released early, as were 682 robbers, 442 batterers and 253 auto thieves.
Whitmore said other sheriffs are experiencing similar problems because of a severe statewide budget shortfall that compelled the state's voters last year to replace Gov. Gray Davis (news - web sites) with actor Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites).
But the problem is greater in Los Angeles County because of the magnitude of its jail system, which houses 17,500 inmates, about 70 percent of whom are awaiting trial, Whitmore said.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1896&ncid=720&e=6&u=/nm/20040326/us_nm/crime_inmates_dc
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