Ugh. I'm not a California resident or taxpayer, but it makes me wonder what would happen if taxpayers had more control of what their taxes go to. The prison system in the U.S. is riddled with problems that need to be addressed. I'm not saying I have the answers, but clearly reform is needed. Obviously if it's necessary to imprison someone, then it's necessary to ensure that they are housed, clothed and fed, but it's a shame that those things aren't guaranteed for everyone.The vast majority of inmates were not participating in the strike, she said, and authorities wanted to minimise disruption for them. The strike, she added, was wasteful. "Lots of taxpayer-funded food is being thrown away."The vast majority of inmates were not participating in the strike, she said, and authorities wanted to minimise disruption for them. The strike, she added, was wasteful. "Lots of taxpayer-funded food is being thrown away."
I am a California resident and taxpayer. I don't see this as a tax problem and can't understand how filing as such would change this. I grew up in New York state, where the prison system got a major overhaul after the Attica riots of 1971 and has stayed very clean since. My mother worked in the NYS prisons for 17 years and I never heard anything like this. The big problem is treating the gang members as a group. New York treats prisoners as individuals and does not negotiate with groups. If a prison system of California's size has a problem with gangs, it's not keeping individual members separated sufficiently. Then you don't lock one guy in the hole for years -- you leave him with dudes that don't think he's a leader in a different part of a giant state.
You don't think that part of the problem is that too many people are in prison in the first place? A lot of tax dollars are needed to fund prisons, money that could go toward things that might reduce criminal behavior, like schools and after school programs. Why is it a good idea to gather criminally minded people in a few isolated facilities where their resentment for law can fester and be reinforced as "correct" or improved through the exchange of ideas and the expansion of personal networks of like-minded people?
You may have an interesting long-term question. However the hunger strike needs to be solved right now.