Schwarzenegger Resorts to Desperate Measures to Relieve the Stress on California's Prisons.

A federal judge recently overturned an order Governor Schwarzenegger gave in October to ship prisoners to other states.

California's felons are California's problem, but as a temporary emergency measure, the move makes sense. It may serve as the attention-getting cry for help that California needs.

Among other prisoners that left California, 80 prisoners were shipped to Tennessee in November. Schwarzenegger tried to label the state's overwhelmed prison system as an emergency situation to effect tangible change from an indecisive California; both lawmakers and voters admit that change is necessary, but not much has been done.

This is not the governor's first attempt to ease the strain on California's prison system.

In August, Schwarzenegger tried to pass a multi-billion dollar construction bill to add thousands of beds to some of the state's prisons. The plan was deemed too expensive, and republicans and democrats both stopped the bill before it got very far.

Schwarzenegger called a special session of the State Assembly to address the issue last August, but even the less expensive, less ambitious proposal was denied at that time. California's legislature took no action in response to the governor's proposal.

During that Assembly, Schwarzenegger initially proposed moving inmates to other states. His plan, in various forms, has been under review since then. The plan included a 17-member sentencing committee that would decide how to spend California's money on improving prisons, and how to ease parole laws to free some space.

Schwarzenegger keeps returning to this issue partly because of the crowded conditions in the state's 33 stuffed prisons, and partially due to a federal court order. Prison wardens have been forced to get creative in order to fit prisoners into buildings now filled to about 170 percent capacity.

Inmates double and triple bunk, and beds are being placed in meeting halls and gyms. The state's prisons are past maximum capacity now, and there will shortly be absolutely no room at all for new prisoners.

Something has to change, and suggestions are coming from all sides. Everything from new prisons to early releases for certain felons has been considered.

In December, a federal judge ordered the governor to get the state's prison system in compliance with safety regulations against overcrowding by June 4. If the problem is not a few steps closer to a solution at that point, a panel of three judges may be given control of California's prisons.

California has 33 prisons, and though the governor does not want to give control of the system over to federal courts, that is exactly what may happen if deadlines aren't met.

Designed for about 100,000 inmates, the prisons currently hold around 172,000.

Exporting prisoners to other states is only a temporary solution, and California shouldn't be overloading the rest of America with its problem.

Schwarzenegger should attack the root of the problem and offer legislation that keeps prison a last resort, not the first line of defense against non-violent convicts.