Prison Overcrowding

California's overcrowded prisons are continuing to present problems for Gov. Jerry Brown. This week, Gov. Brown asked Lawmakers in Sacramento for $450 million over the next two years to lease up to 4,100 beds in county jails and private prisons and to continue shipping 8,500 inmates to other states. He also proposed that more inmates be allowed to earn more credit for early release by working at firefighting camps, in addition to allowing more inmates early release on medical parole or elder release.

These proposals are intended to address a federal court order to cut the prison population by 9,600 inmates by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, overcrowded conditions persist in the Los Angeles County Jail system, resulting in early release of non violent inmates including those serving a jail sentence for DUI.

In Orange County, the Sherriff's Dept has adopted a strategy of offering non-violent inmates early release on electronic home confinement or home arrest.

At some point, the Legislature is going to have to address the underlying issue here; that we send too many people to jail or prison for non-violent, alcohol or drug related crimes, and the system simply cannot cope!!

Education programs and alternatives to incarceration should be given more weight in the criminal justice system, particularly for defendants who commit crimes because of an addiction to alcohol or drugs. At Gold and Witham, we actively involve our clients in rehabilitation measures in DUI cases where jail or prison is a possibility.

If you are facing a felony DUI in Los Angeles or you have been charged with DUI and you have prior convictions for DUI, please call us for a free consultation. We can give you options to avoid state prison or county jail.