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\n\t\tPC: Anthony Ramos
\nVia Wikimedia Commons\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tPC: Anthony Ramos
\nVia Wikimedia Commons\t\t<\/p>\n
In Sacramento County Supervisor Rosario Rodriguez\u2019s latest newsletter, she decries the County\u2019s budget deficit as a threat to public safety. Why? Because cops, courts and cages are not fully funded. And this, she says, is a big, big problem.<\/p>\n
Sure:<\/p>\n
Incarceration is seven times more expensive than medical treatment for addiction (rehab)\u00a0<\/p>\n
The US incarcerates at five times the world average, per-capita.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Funding for cops, courts and cages has increased, nationwide, four times faster than US population growth since the \u201980s, and\u00a0<\/p>\n
Police solve less than 15% of crimes (13.2% of felonies in California in 2022<\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>\n But we must have more policing!<\/p>\n Per-capita, Canada incarcerates one-seventh as many as the US, yet has lower crime rates. Of course, the US has more than half a million medical bankruptcies annually, while Canada has single-payer healthcare, so social services might actually be cheaper and more effective at preventing crime.<\/p>\n She asserts that the Mays Decision \u2013 a lawsuit the County Jail lost for mistreating prisoners \u2013 requires physical improvements to the jail. That\u2019s not true, but the likes of Ms. Rodriguez would love a multi-million-dollar mega-jail renovation there. Why we don\u2019t incarcerate nearly enough people at five times the world\u2019s average per-capita rate!<\/p>\n In fairness, the jail is full. But 60-80% of the prisoners are not convicted of anything other than being unable to pay bail. In Sacramento County, you\u2019re not \u201cinnocent until proven guilty,\u201d you\u2019re \u201cguilty until proven wealthy.\u201d<\/p>\n And if you believe prosecutors don\u2019t use that pre-trial incarceration as a lever to extort plea bargains, then I\u2019ve got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you. It\u2019s not justice; it\u2019s an extortion racket.<\/p>\n Is there any discussion of no-cash bail (as Illinois currently has) or pre-trial supervision? Not that I can detect.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Supervisor also complains that the County\u2019s maintenance costs are rising. Is there any move to deny land speculators their big payday, and curtail edge city development? Not that I can detect. After all, the region has 20 years\u2019 worth of unbuilt infill, and infill maintenance costs half as much to maintain as edge city development since the roads and utilities are shorter and already in place.<\/p>\n What Ms. Rodriguez (and her predecessor) are advocating is the domestic equivalent of the \u201cNo war is too expensive to fund or fight\u201d international policy that has the US starting wars it can neither afford nor finish. That domestic equivalent isn\u2019t\u00a0e pluribus unum\u00a0(\u201cfrom many, one\u201d), it\u2019s \u201cThe beatings will continue until morale improves.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Follow the Vanguard on Social Media \u2013 X<\/a>, Instagram <\/a>and Facebook<\/a>.\u00a0 Subscribe <\/a>the Vanguard News letters.\u00a0 To make a tax-deductible donation, please visit davisvanguard.org\/donate<\/a> or give directly through ActBlue<\/a>.\u00a0 Your support will ensure that the vital work of the Vanguard continues.<\/p>\n Categories: Breaking News<\/a> Sacramento Region<\/a> Tags: cash bail reform<\/a> criminal justice policy<\/a> Government Spending Priorities<\/a> jail overcrowding<\/a> Mass Incarceration<\/a> Public Safety Debate<\/a> Rosario Rodriguez<\/a> Sacramento County<\/a> Sacramento County Budget<\/a>