Can Arnold Schwarzenegger Fix California's Prison System?

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More than 30 years ago, California led the way for changing the emphasis of criminal justice from rehabilitation to punishment. It was a bipartisan transformation, signed into law by Democrat Jerry Brown. But the prison system is vastly expensive and recidivism, the rate at which parolees go back behind bars, is the nation's highest. Now, Governor Schwarzenegger is moving back in the other direction under a new name. Will "re-entry" be cheaper? Will it deter crime any better than it did in the past? We hear from a UCLA research psychologist, a representative of state prison employees, a former prisoner who now councils others, and a criminologist from UC Irvine who's advising the Schwarzenegger team on corrections.
More than 30 years ago, California led the way for changing the emphasis of criminal justice from rehabilitation to punishment. It was a bipartisan transformation, signed into law by Democrat Jerry Brown. But the prison system is vastly expensive and recidivism, the rate at which parolees go back behind bars, is the nation's highest. Now, Governor Schwarzenegger is moving back in the other direction under a new name. Will "re-entry" be cheaper? Will it deter crime any better than it did in the past? We hear from a UCLA research psychologist, a representative of state prison employees, a former prisoner who now councils others, and a criminologist from UC Irvine who's advising the Schwarzenegger team on corrections.

California Department of Corrections

Correctional Agency Reorganization Background

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney

Producer:

Frances Anderton