Lawyers have already geared up to fight this and so have many families who can barely make the distance to visit their loved ones across county lines, much less state lines. Last year I recieved an email from a prison activist group stating the five thou. plus convicted felons (illegals), filling up California prisons would be the first transferred. When their done w/ their time they would be sent back to their country. Because many w/ felony convictions repeatedly return, the U.S imposes a 7 yr. mandatory sentence if their again caught on U.S soil or attempt to cross the border. As you may have noticed, privately owned institutions have became a popular trend in the U.S. When filled they generate huge profits for their owners and investors whom have strong political ties. New laws were created while others were abused which kept a steady flow of 'prison' and life sentences. At the rate that Cali builds institutions, over crowded prisons are the least of their worries. Three new prisons were recently built in the past five yrs. One minute the prisons are over crowded the next minute it's not. This is why I don't believe anything they tell the media. It always seems to be w/ motives which amount to greed, the dark side of ambition The abuse of the 3-Strike Law by only the State of Calif. which led to 'some' over crowded Calif. prisons was clearly intentional and strategic. 3-Strikes, the nation's toughest sentencing law for repeat felons was created by the voters' approval of Proposition 184 in November 1994...yet, voters were misled to believe it would be imposed on repeat SEX OFFENDERS, CHILD MOLESTERS and VIOLENT OFFENDERS, not people who were stealing petty items to stay fed or support a drug habit. The relationship between the "Three-Strikes" law and California's ballooning prison costs and inmate population was a hotly contested issue. The California prison system is the biggest in the U.S., with a budget of over $5 billion dollars a year (see California Enacted Budget) and housing over 161,000 inmates. More than half of the people punished under the "Three-Strikes" law in Cali are convicted of non-violent offenses, clogging the prisons and costing millions of dollars annually. Amongst youths, prison breeds violence 'yet' Arnie & his campaign-donating buddy's chose to put the tax payer's money into building more prisons instead of building more schools, and various programs to help homeless youths w/ their needs to become productive in society. Although Alameda Co. courts have stopped striking ppl out they now give "L" sentences out like free bread and leave "first time" adult offenders no alternative but to take "five yrs. probation" including a jail sentence. When they've already been in the hall once or twice then come face to face w/ their first adult case, it put's something on their mind. Realizing their now walking a fine line while observing adult inmates, they learn from them how to mask any emotions which show their vulnerbility. That 5 yr. threat alone would break any youth's self esteem and w/ out a steady flow of proper guidance, love & disipline their bound to fail, which most do. Five yrs. is like looking at a long term goal way off in the distant future. I think most of us have learned thru setbacks the rate of success is much higher in short term. That's an awfully long time for any 18, 19 yr. old to not make one more 'adult' mistake, considering they may already lack adult supervision on the home front or came from a crappy enviroment. It's nothing but a trap that sets them up to fail, eventually putting them in prison and on parole. Those that get the money these institutions generate are the only ones that win. note: dagreen, Im still tryna figure out why California voters made a foreign actor/ body builder the Gov. of their state? That was the goofiest thing I ever seen in politics, lol

whoops..double post