Beware of bloated corrections spending in 2017-18 budget

Last year, Governor Brown said he would develop a sustainable solution to California’s prison crisis.

But in this year’s budget, he made it clear that he wants to move the state in the opposite direction by increasing CDCR spending to an all time high.

Among the alarming moves, the budget:

• increases $500 million for state corrections
• increases $1.5 million for local community corrections
• refurbishes or replaces the 12 Oldest Prisons in California

We need to make Californianas aware of this irresponsible, harmful budget and press our legislature to pass important legislation and implement Prop. 57 as voters intended. Our legislature can still show Gov. Brown that we won’t accept his continued prioritization of imprisonment.

Will you join us in reaching out to press? Let’s make sure inflated spending on incarceration is reversed by our leaders in legislature.

With heightened federal pressure, we need to protect California’s most vulnerable populations by reducing spending on corrections and incarceration now more than ever.

Amber-Rose Howard, Statewide Co-Coordinator

Californians United for a Responsible Budget