Federal judges reject California's plan to cut prison population

AP Photo/Spencer Weiner

Inmate Leon Browne, 21, of Los Angeles, right, sits on his bunk, which are stacked three high in a gymnasium, that has been converted into temporary "emergency" sleeping area at California State Prison-Los Angeles County in Lancaster, Calif., Friday, March 2, 2007.

A panel of three federal judges today rejected California’s plan to reduce the inmate population.

Roughly 160,000 inmates pack facilities designed for about half that number.

Three judges found this year that overcrowded conditions prevent inmates from getting adequate medical and mental health care.

In August 2009, the judges ordered California officials to come up with proposal to reduce the number of inmates by about 44,000 over the next couple of years.

This summer California lawmakers passed a bill that would reduce the inmate population by 20,000.

The Schwarzenegger administration submitted that plan to the judges earlier this month.

Today the judges rejected it.

In a written order, the federal judges called the plan “inadequate” and gave California lawmakers three weeks to present a new plan.

They said if the state fails to do so, “the court will be left with no alternative but to develop a plan independently and order it implemented.”

Gordon Hinkel, a spokesman for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation stated:

"The administration continues to object to the panel's arbitrary cap under a two-year timeline and is continuing our appeal with the US Supreme Court. The state also continues to work to implement the reforms enacted by the state budget that will reduce overcrowding without compromising public safety."

Hinkel said the Adminstration will respond to the judge's order on November 12th.