Prison System Condemned in Concealed Report by Independent Review Panel

Los Angeles, CA California's prison system has been condemned in a 400 page report that to this day has been basically concealed from the public. The report, of the Corrections Independent Review Panel cost the State over a million dollars and took five months of intensive investigations to complete, was presented to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Department of Corrections in June of 2004. Heading the review panel was former California Governor George Deukmejian, appointed by the Governor to investigate the Department of Corrections with the assistance of a cadre of law enforcement experts representing many agencies and associations. Here is the Executive Summary posted on the Department of Corrections website.

The Full Disclosure Network® presents this ten minute video presentation featuring Joe Gunn, Executive Director of Corrections Independent Review Panel told FDN host Leslie Dutton the prison system was in "chaos, a disaster and total disarray". This is the second in a series of FDN video news blogs covering the ongoing crisis in California's jail and prison system. DVDs of the series are available for purchase.

Here are a few of the many points covered in the video and report:

The panel spent months reviewing reports and materials from Office of Inspector General, Little Hoover Commission, State Auditor.
Interviewed current and former members of Governor's Staff, State Legislators, current and former members of Department of Corrections staff, California Youth Authority, Office of Inspector General staff, members of the Little Hoover Commission, leadership of the CCPOA (prison guards association), experts in the field and concerned citizens, totally 470 people altogether.
The panel presented 239 recommendations to reform the state's correctional system.
Listed as some of the major problems are: Ethics, "code of silence", Union/labor contracts and influence over management, union campaign donations, use of force, accountability, and youthful offenders.

Known as "the news behind the news" the Full Disclosure Network® is seen on 43 cable systems and the Internet website at www.fulldisclosure.net In 2002 the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences presented host Leslie Dutton with an Emmy for the 2001 public affairs series entitled "L.A.'s War Against Terrorism" featuring LAPD Chief Bernard Parks, L.A. County Sheriff Leroy Baca, L.A. City Councilman Mark Ridley Thomas and Police Union Director, LAPD Captain Ken Hillman. Channels and airtimes can be found on the website.

Comments to date: 82. This is page 1 of 9.


Phillip Lambro Los Angeles	Posted: 01:16 pm [PST] on March 01 2008
Send these prisoners not back to their own countries, but to a Russian or Chinese work camp where they cannot disseminate drugs, rapes and murders.

Tito Martinez Colorado	Posted: 09:37 am [PST] on January 02 2008
When you have no accountability in any Goverment or private buisness you will have failure.

john river	Posted: 11:27 am [PST] on November 27 2007
i don't think the federal judge should run any prisons i vote no on all three and i think our country needs a new governor1!!!

Luis Duarte CA	Posted: 12:05 am [PST] on November 01 2007
Well Gregory, maybe your brother will learn to stay out of jail and follow the law just like everyother law abiding citizen.

Gregory Archie 2nd Linden, Nj	Posted: 08:39 am [PST] on October 21 2007
The prison system across america sucks. I have a brother in Union County Jail, NJ and he saw a few inmates abused to almost the point of death. Now he is recieving death threats from the gaurds because he's a witness. He was beaten by guard on Oct 5th, 2007 after i visited him. He's in close custody, which means he's not to be around any other inmates and he was attacked by an inmate and then beaten by guard who split his head open. I don't know what to do.

allison pennington texas	Posted: 06:32 pm [PST] on October 01 2007
I have family in the prison and so I want to know what is going on. Thank you for this eye-opening news report.

Luis Duarte	Posted: 11:50 am [PST] on September 22 2007
By the way OLGA, stop breaking the law and you will not be beaten up.

Luis Duarte	Posted: 11:46 am [PST] on September 22 2007
Remember these animals are under lockdown because they have done something bad. Unfortunately, you CONS family members will always say or think that your family members are being treated bad. What about the people who got hurt because of these scum bags? These earth scums deserve everything and more that is coming to them.

Olga M. LAZIN UCLA	Posted: 06:52 pm [PST] on September 18 2007
Leslie, people are beaten up even before being proven guilty!!! Especially first time "arestees". Our prison system is corrupt, abusive and violent. We People, are being beaten up by officers first day when brought to jail!!! Even BEFORE being proven guilty. We should not be hurt. Bill McSweeney knows officers are beating innocent people up. especially in the Ventura county Jail.

Olga M. LAZIN UCLA	Posted: 06:52 pm [PST] on September 18 2007
Leslie, people are beaten up even before being proven guilty!!! Especially first time "arestees". Our prison system is corrupt, abusive and violent. We People, are being beaten up by officers first day when brought to jail!!! Even BEFORE being proven guilty. We should not be hurt. Bill McSweeney knows officers are beating innocent people up. especially in the Ventura county Jail.