KCBA - Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz - News Weather-Governor Suggests Sending Some Prisoners To Mexico
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. - State officials started letting about 6,500 inmates out of prison early Monday.
Inmates considered low-risk offenders are being allowed to accrue early release credits based on completing education and rehab programs. The low-risk offenders will then be released on non-revocable parole. That means they won't be sent back to prison for minor parole violations.
At the annual press luncheon in Sacramento Monday, the Governor offered his solution which was to build prisons in Mexico with state money to house undocumented immigrants who are arrested and convicted of crimes in California.
"We can go and take inmates for instance the 20,000 inmates that are illegal inmates that are here, and get them to Mexico," said Schwarzenegger. "We pay them to build a prison down in Mexico, and then we have those undocumented immigrants be down there in a prison," he said.
The Governor also said the plan to build and run a prison in Mexico would save the state money.
Crime victim advocates don't see any quick fixes in the near future, however, and they're fuming at the thought of low-risk inmate release.
"These inmates have been involved with human trafficking, murder for hire, elder abuse, and much more, and they're going to come back to our counties," said Harriet Salarno, a crime victim spokeswoman.
The Governor's spokesman later clarified that Schwarzenegger's comment was off the cuff and he has no official plans to propose a California-funded Mexican prison.
