October 7, 2009
Local politician advocates for correction reform
The cost of the corrections system in California, and its effect on the state budget and public safety, are weighing upon Assemblymember Nancy Skinner. The local politician visited campus last Thursday, October 1.
Skinner is the Assemblymember for California's 14th District which includes Moraga as well as surrounding areas such as Walnut Creek, Berkeley and Oakland. Joining Skinner in the panel discussion was Jeanne Woodford, former director of the California Department of Corrections, Professor Ron Ahnen of Saint Mary's, and Captain Mike Newman of the Contra Costa Sheriff's Office. According to Skinner, "this issue of prison reform is the reason I wanted to run for office."
Skinner began the discussion with the fact that the state of California allocates the same amount of the budget to higher education as it does to the state prisons. For a state which prides itself on the quality of education it provides to citizens, Skinner doesn't like those numbers. According to Skinner, the state puts a lot of effort into improving public safety, but she isn't sure that goal is being accomplished with its current policies…
LINK - SMCCollegian.com
