One Half The Equation

The other half is trying to take more guns away from law-abiding citizens.

States may free inmates to save millions

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Lawmakers from California to Kentucky are trying to save money with a drastic and potentially dangerous budget-cutting proposal: releasing tens of thousands of convicts from prison, including drug addicts, thieves and even violent criminals.

Officials acknowledge that the idea carries risks, but they say they have no choice because of huge budget gaps brought on by the slumping economy.

"If we don't find a way to better manage the population at the state prison, we will be forced to spend money to expand the state's prison system — money we don't have," said Jeff Neal, a spokesman for Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri.

At least eight states are considering freeing inmates or sending some convicts to rehabilitation programs instead of prison, according to an Associated Press analysis of legislative proposals. If adopted, the early release programs could save an estimated $450 million in California and Kentucky alone.

What's not being said is how many of the prisoners in those eight states are in this nation illegally. Not one of those states is sending a bill to the nation of Mexico demanding payment for feeding, clothing and housing their citizens.

Even if none of the criminals being let out early is incarcerated for a violent crime they are only in prison for crimes they were convicted of. Not necessarily all of the crimes they COMMITTED. A guy who breaks into your grandmother's house, rapes her, beats her into a coma and steals her purse may only be in prison for stealing her purse as part of a plea bargain.

Laying off prison guards and making it more difficult to send parole violators back to state prison would account for part of the savings.

So, on top of letting the bad boys out early we are going to make it more difficult to put the baddest boys back inside when they misbehave. That will REALLY send a message to criminals, won't it? "Yeah, he is still dealing drugs but in ten or twenty more arrests we may actually be able to put him in jail for it."

By intentionally raising the number of criminals at large in the nation state governments are ensuring more death, more hardship, more suffering. That some of the states considering this are also guilty of disarming citizens is proof that states are at war with the law-abiding citizens.