August 28, 2008
“State must invest in prison health-care facilities” (by J. Clark Kelso)
Californians have always persevered. Even through tough emotional and economic times, our American values and a persistent sense of hope and humanity in the face of adversity have served as guiding principles. Now, once again, tough budget choices are spawning an emotional, hot-button debate over the following question: Why should the state spend billions of dollars to provide prisoners with access to basic health care when other important priorities also need funding? In answering this question, we must turn to our basic sense of what is right.
The U.S. Constitution protects every person in this country from cruel and unusual punishment. It is a time-honored value in all civilized and free societies, and yet, after years of litigation, three federal courts have independently found that the state of California consistently violates the U.S. Constitution's Eighth Amendment by failing to provide even the most basic medical, mental health and dental care for its prison inmates. California can and must do better…
LINK - SFGate.com (The San Francisco Gate)
