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Newsbrief:
Budget
Cuts
Free
Kentucky
Drug
Prisoners
--
Oklahoma
Next?
12/20/02
The first of some 567 Kentucky
state prisoners ordered released early by Gov. Paul Patton because of the
state's budget crisis started heading home on Wednesday. Although no information
is available on the overall number of drug offenders included, one county
reported that six out of eight prisoners being released there were doing
time for drug crimes.
Patton had assured Kentuckians
that only nonviolent offenders would be eligible for the early release,
and that appeared to be largely the case. The men granted emergency release
got out an average of 80 days before their sentences were finished.
While prosecutors grumbled
and county sheriffs bemoaned the loss of revenue they had earned by housing
some prisoners in county jails, Gov. Patton bit the bullet. "I am governor,"
he told the Hardin County News-Enterprise. I have to do what I have to
do to live within the revenue that we have," Patton said. "I understand
there are people who are not going to be happy about it. It's not going
to be pretty, no matter how we do it."
Meanwhile, Oklahoma officials
are moving forward with a plan bruited by Gov. Frank Keating to release
1,000 low-level, nonviolent prisoners, many of them drug defendants. Like
Kentucky and many other states, Oklahoma is in a severe budget crisis with
out-of-control spending in the state prison system.
-- END --
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Issue #268, 12/20/02
Special Offer Continues -- DRCNet Needs Your Help! | Editorial: Expanding the Chorus | 108 Euro-Parliamentarians Call for Legal, Regulated Drug Trade, Reform of UN Conventions | Congressional Drug Warrior Having Doubts: Dan Burton's Near Epiphany | Michigan Legislature Repeals Mandatory Minimum Drug Laws | Canadian Marijuana Activists Skeptical on Decrim | Canadian Supreme Court Postpones Marijuana Cases, Cites Parliament Report, Justice Minister Statement on Decrim | DRCNet Book Review: "Busted: Stone Cowboys, Narco-Lords, and Washington's War on Drugs" | And the Winners Are | Federal Judge Shows Keen Interest in Raich/Monson Medical Marijuana Case | Bolivia Coca Growers Announce Blockades for January 6 -- Will Continue Dialogue | DC Measure 62 Clears Hurdle, Goes to Congress 268/jeffjones Newsbrief: Oakland Cannabis Co-op Director Founded Guilty on Federal Jury Tampering Charges, Handed Out Flyer at Epis Trial | Newsbrief: This Week's Corrupt Cop Story | Newsbrief: Stop the Presses! Poor, Blacks Face Brunt of Houston Drug War | Newsbrief: Texas ACLU Report Slams Task Forces, Calls for End to $200 Million Annual Boondoogle | Newsbrief: MPP Continues "War on Drug Czar" -- More Complaints to be Filed, O'Reilly Appearance Tonight | Newsbrief: Budget Cuts Free Kentucky Drug Prisoners -- Oklahoma Next? | Newsbrief: Nickelodeon Censors Beverly Hillbillies Marijuana References | Newsbrief: Asset Forfeiture Unconstitutional in New Jersey | Media Scan: Joycelyn Elders in Globe and Mail, George McMahon in Fort Worth Weekly, Jeff and Tracy, Santa Fe New Mexican, Medscape | DC Job Opportunities at DRCNet | Action Alerts: Rave Bill, Medical Marijuana, Higher Education Act Drug Provision, Tulia, Salvia Divinorum | The Reformer's Calendar
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