Between the Lines Q&A

A weekly column featuring progressive viewpoints
on national and international issues
under-reported in mainstream media
for release Sept. 2, 2009

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Garrido Abduction Case Jeopardizes Prison Reform

RealAudio MP3

Interview with Marc Mauer,
executive director of the Sentencing Project,
conducted by Melinda Tuhus

prison

In late August, Jaycee Dugard, who had been kidnapped as an 11-year-old in California 18 years ago, was freed from her captors, along with the two daughters her kidnapper, Philip Garrido, had fathered. Garrido and his wife have been charged with 29 counts of kidnapping and rape.

Because this is one of the nation's most sensational kidnapping cases, it could derail significant prison reform legislation that has already passed the California Senate and is pending in the House. The bill calls for reducing the state's prison population by 27,000 through an early parole program for non-violent offenders, with a goal of reducing California's ballooning budget deficit by $1.2 billion. The bill, if passed, would allow correction officials to focus on the truly violent, dangerous criminals in the system -- such as Philip Garrido, who was a convicted rapist and served 11 years in prison before he was paroled and later kidnapped Jaycee Dugard. Yet some legislators are using this case to oppose releasing any prisoners before their sentences are complete, even non-violent offenders.

Between The Lines' Melinda Tuhus spoke with Marc Mauer, executive director of the Sentencing Project, a group that promotes evidenced-based approaches to public safety. He talks about the possible impact the Garrido case could have on public policy, and what some other states are doing to address prison overcrowding, public safety and their budget crises.

Call the Sentencing Project at (202) 628-0871 or visit their website at www.sentencingproject.org.

Related links:

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Melinda Tuhus is a producer of Between The Lines, which can be heard on more than 45 radio stations and in RealAudio and MP3 on our website at http://www.btlonline.org. This interview excerpt was featured on the award-winning, syndicated weekly radio newsmagazine, Between The Lines for the week ending Sept. 11, 2009. This Between The Lines Q&A was compiled by Melinda Tuhus and Anna Manzo.

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