Tagged: Prison Overcrowding

At the moment, Austin Hills is wearing an orange t-shirt, orange pants, and wrist shackles. He’s sitting in an interview room in the San Francisco County Jail in San Bruno.

Hills, who’s been in custody since December 31, 2011, was born and raised in San Francisco. He went to good schools and graduated from college. Now, he owns a business renting out luxury cars. After an incident late last year, Hills was arrested and charged with arson and making a criminal threat. He’s been in jail ever since – four months – because having been charged with multiple felonies, his bail was set high.

Not too long ago, the men now sitting around a table at the Contra Costa Probation Office were in prison. “I want to ask how long have you been in prison,” Chief Adult Probation Officer Philip Kader asks them. They respond with three, six and even 12 times.

But now they’re getting a taste of their newly found freedom. Thanks to realignment, they’re here under a new program called post-release community supervision. They’re having dinner with the probation officers that are responsible for them. Sharing a meal together is how they start their weekly class called “Thinking for a Change.”

On today's Your Call we’ll talk about what’s changing in California’s prison system.  The Occupy Movement drew attention to the prison industrial complex this week with a day of action called “Occupy the Prisons.”  They are calling for an end to inhumane conditions for people behind bars.  Meanwhile, the realignment process is underway in California-- where low-level offenders are being moved from prisons to county jails.  Is this the best way to solve prison over-crowding?   Join us at 10 or email feedback@yourcallradio.org.  It’s Your Call with Holly Kernan, and you.

Guests

Rina Palta, criminal justice reporter for KALW News and author of the blog, The Informant