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| L.A. County releases thousands of inmates due to budget shortage |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 10/28/2004 |
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Budget problems have forced the county to release thousands of jail inmates, many of whom have served less than a tenth of their sentence, Sheriff Lee Baca said. Baca announced the early release of 63,332 inmates Wednesday during a press conference promoting a measure to increase local sales tax to pay for 5,000 more law enforcement officers. "Tens of thousands of these people have not served any form of substantial punishment for their crimes," Baca said, during the conference outside the downtown county jail. "What that means is that Los Angeles County and its criminal justice system for low-level offenders has been rendered meaningless through the lack of funding." Ballot Measure A needs two-thirds of the vote to pass. Its success would reduce the need for the early release of inmates, Baca said. The sheriff began the early releases in 2002, after the Board of Supervisors refused to approve a budget increase. He also has closed several jails, reducing the number of inmates the county can house from 22,000 to 17,500. Since 2002, Baca has given early releases to inmates convicted of crimes including spousal abuse, robbery, battery, assault with a deadly weapon, drunk driving and car theft, as well those convicted of minor infractions such as graffiti or vandalism. |
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