Gov. Jerry Brown mum as court rejects prison plan
Gov. Jerry Brown remained mum about the latest twist in the California prison saga, as a federal court ruled on Tuesday that the state cannot solve its overcrowding problem by sending thousands of state inmates outside of California.
The governor’s office refused any additional comment after the order was issued late Tuesday afternoon. Administration officials said they were reviewing the court’s ruling.
Under a deal struck with lawmakers earlier this month, Brown asked the court for three years to reduce the state’s prison population by increasing funding for substance abuse and mental health programs aimed at reducing recidivism.
Brown’s plan also included a fall-back option that involved sending thousands of inmates out of state to ease California’s prison overcrowding.
In the two-page order released on Tuesday, the court rejected that option, ordering the state to not send any additional inmates outside of California.
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