jail overcrowding

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No More Room on San Quentin's Death Row

It's essentially full, governor warns

(Newser) - California Gov. Jerry Brown has submitted his $113 billion budget proposal, and in it he notes that, on average, 20 new felons are expected to show up per year on death row in San Quentin State Prison, the Los Angeles Times reports. One problem: There's no more room. With...

DOJ Plan: Cut 20K Inmates' Jail Time by 23 Months

Holder-endorsed proposal would reduce nonviolent offenders' sentences

(Newser) - Some 9% of the federal prison population could see their sentences reduced by an average of 23 months thanks to a new Justice Department proposal endorsed by Eric Holder. The US Sentencing Commission voted in April to reduce drug sentences for nonviolent offenders in the future; this proposal, presented to...

Judges: Calif. Must Free 43K Inmates in 2 Years

(Newser) - California violates inmates' constitutional rights by cramming them into overcrowded and unhealthy prisons, three federal judges ruled today. They ordered the state to reduce its inmate population of 158,000 by 43,000 over two years, the Los Angeles Times reports. No word yet on whether California will appeal to...

First Inmates Freed in Crack Overhaul

More than 3,000 eligible for release this year under new sentencing guidelines

(Newser) - Federal prisons are beginning to release prisoners to comply with new crack-cocaine sentencing guidelines, the Washington Post reports. The US Sentencing Commission made more than 3,000 inmates eligible for release this year by voting in December to even out punishments for crack-cocaine offenses against those involving powdered cocaine; crack...

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