The Scoop

• May 12, 2008 4:51 pm US/Pacific
• Digg | Facebook | E-mail

  Close WindowE-mail This Page

  The Scoop: Jail Overcrowding

  Required fields are marked with an asterisk(*)

  ---

  • Recipient E-mail:* 
  • • Your Name:* 
    • Your E-mail:* 
  • Add a Message:
  •   Send me a copy of this e-mail.

  • Type the characters in this picture:* Click here to refresh with new letters

  ---

  The information you provide will be used only to send the requested e-mail and will not be used to send any other e-mail communications. Read more in our Privacy Policy

  Send E-mail

  | Print

The Scoop: Jail Overcrowding

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ― Get ready – anywhere from 25,000 to 30,000 prison inmates are going to be hitting the streets early in California. They're the lucky ones, being released ahead of schedule thanks to overcrowding and budget problems.

Authorities will tell you these are the pick of the litter, the best of the bunch – low level inmates doing time for non-violent crimes and drugs. But cops are telling me another story, more ominous story.

The fact is, the vast majority will be released based on crimes they plead guilty for – not all of the crimes they committed. A lot of crime gets forgiven or forgotten once a criminal pleads guilty to a lesser offense. It will be interesting to see how long these forgotten crimes stay forgotten once the inmates hit the streets.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)