We already send lots of tourists to Mexico, why not prisoners too?
The Sacramento Bee newspaper is reporting that Governor Schwarzenegger, appearing before the Sacramento Press Club on Monday, suggested that one solution to California’s prison problem might be for the state to build prisons in Mexico and finance their operating costs.
But, his idea, which appears to be a trial balloon to test the waters, went further. He said that these prisons could house the undocumented immigrants, convicted of crimes in California, who are otherwise imprisoned here. He mentioned that there are 20,000 prison inmates in California now who are not legal immigrants.
The predictable negative response from certain quarters was forthcoming, for sure. But, this idea has some positive aspects.
First, it would reduce the problem of prison overcrowding in California. Second, it would break the stranglehold the prison guards union has on our prison system and state budget by employing lower cost non-union Mexican citizens in Mexico. Third, would reduce pressure on the unfunded liability the State employee pension system faces because the Mexican workers need not be offered such a lucrative retirement plan. And fourth, since undocumented inmates in California are usually deported after they serve their sentence, those who are from Mexico would be home upon their release.
This idea should be seriously explored by the Governor’s administration and the Legislature. Maybe it is not feasible, then again maybe it is. For openers the thought of creating much needed jobs in Mexico to do California’s work and at a much lower cost is intriguing. Most everyone thinks it is time for bold thinking – is this one bold enough for you?
Re: “one solution to California’s prison problem might be for the state to build prisons in Mexico and finance their operating costs.”
This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. The prison indistrial complex just wants CA taxpayers to finance prisons in Mexico because they can get away with paying the guards there next to nothing.
This isn’t about prison ‘reform.’ It’s about finding ways for the prison industrial complex to make even higher profits. Anybody can see that the real plan is to ship ALL California prisoners there.
Illegal immigrants make up about 19% of the CA prison population. They can deport them and have them serve their sentence in Mexico. Oh, but then the US based prison industrial complex wouldn’t be able to make money off of them.
Arnold is has taken a wrecking ball to this state. It’s so sad. This is exactly the kind of individual the Founding Fathers warned about when they said that only US born people could hold the office of President.
Let’s see what happens.
The prison indistrial complex just wants CA taxpayers to finance prisons in Mexico because they can get away with paying the guards there next to nothing.
I agree to a point with this statement, but we simply have to consider all options with the current budget situation. If we did consider it I would have to see some standards of training for the guards hired in Mexico and also a decent level of pay for the guards there, so that the income they get will help to produce additional jobs for other residents of Mexico.
Yes we could currently deport them, but Mexico does not have the facilities or the money to keep them lock up, so yes we would have to pay for it or they would be back on the street either here or there once again doing criminal activities.
I have been told by more that one legislator that the Prison Guard Union, otherwise known as the CCOP which sounds much more voter friendly, is the most powerful lobby in the State Capitol.
It is a sad state of affairs when the second best paying job for a high school graduate in Califronia is as a prison guard, the better paying occupation, Drug Dealer.
It is time to legalize and tax all drugs, starting with pot.
It is time for public financing of campaigns to reduce the influance of lobbists.
It is time to have a proposition that sunsets previous propositions.
Ya Man, more US jobs sent to other country’s.
Why not ask teh Prez about leasing the Cuban prison?
The other 2 options are not popular either, release them or increase taxes to keep them in prison.
Perhaps the guard union will accept a pay cut? They are paid more than teachers and many other public workers who are required to go to college to get thier jobs.
I do not feel personally that our teachers are overpaid, in may cases considering the loans and other expenses they have to incurr to become teachers they are underpaid.
this governor should have done some moonlighting by filming a couple of action films
(throughout his time in office)- and donated his earnings to California!
DAMAGE CONTROL!!!!
Has anyone mentioned the obvious here. Once people cross national borders, they are no longer under the auspices of that country’s justice or corrections systems. What Mexico would do with those sent to Mexican prisons would be up to Mexico. In effect, this is simply a ploy to deport people without incurring political liabilities for doing so. And yes, it is probably a shot across the bow of the CCOP as well.
This is something I have advocated for years. Except I think Mexico would be too expensive. I was thinking Vietnam might be the best value.
When I was reading that book the “World is Flat” years ago they had a section on the meeting capabilities that are achievable using modern communications systems and it was pretty amazing. So I think there would not be a problem providing appeals access, etc.
We really have to look at everything for cuting costs. Again, that book “The world is Flat,” really hit home in that we are no longer competing with Texas and Nevada to keep jobs in California. We are competing with China, India etc. so we really need to make sure we foster a pro-business invironment in California.
If you don’t want to put in the time to read the World is Flat, may I suggest spending about 30 minutes watching Tom Friedman sumarize it. I put a link to a speach of his on my web site:
http://www.andyfavor.net/Economic_Growth.html
(Note, it is the link on the right side)
Andy Favor
Candidate for California State Controller
http://www.AndyFavor.net
One solution for the California Prison problem is to take a look at the injustice, racial-profiling and racism that is going on in the courts. I monitor different court cases here in Orange County and the things that I have witnessed is appalling, maybe if someone took a look into that system people would not be getting railroaded to prison in the first place. There has got to be a change in Orange County!!!!!
Andy,
Glad to see you in the race! Best of luck to you!
Re: “In effect, this is simply a ploy to deport people without incurring political liabilities for doing so.”
I don’t think so. They have deported undocumented criminals who have been convicted of crimes for decades. It’s only recently that they have kept them in US jails. Arnold wants CA taxpayers to fund cheap prisons in Mexico that will make more profit for the US companies that will own them.
How much money has Arnold taken from the private prison company behind this deal? Why doesn’t the media ever do its job when it comes to exposing the millions of dollars Arnold takes from corporate lobbyists?
One more year of this PIG and then he’s out of office.
Sunny that is true that we have deported undocumaented criminals for years. People demeanded that we start keeping them because they were just endiong up right back on the same streets within days of thier deportation.
I do not favor Arnold’s proposal, but I posted some of this to see what other solutions might be a realistic option.
Mary Jones is the only one so far the posted anything else that could be looked at to reduce costs at all, without turning dangerious felons loose.
About building and financing prisons in another country:
Fellow bloggers: This is not another product that needs to be manufactured on cheaper labor costs, this is a problem to deal with. Sending prisoners to another country is not a solution, just a problem transfer. Let’s be awfully honest; It is completely selfish to even consider the idea, it would be similar to tell someone: “Just let me drop my nuclear waste at your yard since your country has no laws against it yet, you may suffer a bit but I will pay you!”
Maybe we do not have enough laws to prevent outsourcing prison facilities.
The prison indistrial complex just wants CA taxpayers to finance prisons in Mexico because they can get away with paying the guards there next to nothing.
That is the whole idea to lower the cost of housing prisoners, so that there is more of the budget for stuff like infrastructure, education, health care stuff that created jobs more of them since they don’t have to pay such high salieries and benifits to guard illegals.
Plus by creating more jobs in Mexico less illegals will be crossing the border, I think this is a Win, Win situation.
As far as legalizing Drugs I am all for that as well lets legalize them and tax the hell out of them first this will automatically lower the amount of prisoners in it’s self and will create a huge influx of revenue that should be spent 100% on health care and Education along with rehab’s more jobs less prisners less expenses