December 10, 2010
Alyson Huber fights Preston youth prison closure
A plan to shut down one of the state's few remaining juvenile justice facilities to save tens of millions of dollars a year is running into opposition in Sacramento, where a state lawmaker is worried about the loss of jobs in her district.
The fight over shuttering Preston Youth Correctional Facility in rural Ione (Amador County) illustrates the difficulty state leaders face as they try to plug a $25.4 billion budget gap while keeping the support of the people who put them in the Capitol. It also underscores a gloomy reality highlighted during Gov.-elect Jerry Brown's budget forum Wednesday: Reducing the deficit, whether by cutting spending or increasing revenue, could worsen the economy.
Preston, located an hour northeast of Stockton, houses just 224 youths and, as one of the state's oldest correctional facilities, is in terrible condition. Most of the youths serving time there are hours away from their families...
LINK - SFGate.com
