Californians United for a Responsible Budget

Over the last 20 years, prison spending has increased 571% and the California Department of Corrections (CDC) now has a budget of $5.3 billion. During roughly the same time, general fund spending on higher education actually declined in real dollars.

Locking Down Educational Futures

Over the last 20 years, the state has built 20 new institutions , and only one new university campus. In the 2004-2005 budget, $700 million have been cut from the CSU and UC budgets, including the Outreach Programs, which are designed to the assist African-American, Latino, and American Indian students attend university.

Outreach for Prisons?

During the 1990s, African-American enrollment in the higher education system declined, while more African Americans were added to the state's prison system: for each decline in the enrollment count, 57 were added to a state correctional facility. Three Latino males were added to the prison population for every one added to California's four-year public universities.

Locking Down Educational Futures

The trend for supporting prisons over education continues: in the 2004-2005 budget, there is $120 million for a new prison, Delano II. But the state says that it will have 15,000 fewer prisoners, and is considering closing prisoners. While the governor contemplates spending more money on prisons the state doesn't need, the governor plans to eliminate the UC and CSU Outreach Programs, which cost $72 million. About 44% (nearly 2,000 students) of African-American, Latino, and American Indian first-year students in the UC system in 2002 were prepared for college by UC Outreach programs. Programs such as MESA and PUENTE assist high school students with math and science courses, and the summer bridge program provides opportunity for intensive college preparation. The state would save $48 million if the money for Delano II went to the Outreach Programs.

California - Choose Another Future:

Close Prisons and Restore the Outreach Programs

The state prison population is projected to decline by 15,000 people over the next 18 months, and Governor has called for a commission to the prison system. Four separate public polls show Californians' favor cuts to prison over all other state budget cuts. Californian's United for a Responsible Budget (CURB), a coalition of 36 organizations calling for the closure of Delano II and four other prisons, knows we can save the outreach programs and restore some of the cuts to UC and CSU by reducing the number of prison beds in the state.