Arnold Schwarzenegger on Crime Republican CA Governor

Allow private prisons to compete, to spend less on prisons

Spending 45% more on prisons than universities is no way to proceed into the future. What does it say about our state? It simply is not healthy. So I will submit to you a constitutional amendment so that never again do we spend a greater percentage of our money on prisons than on higher education.

And the way we get this done is to find more cost-effective ways to run our prison system and allows private prisons to compete with public prisons. Competition and choice are always good. I mean, California spends $50,000 per prisoner. The ten largest states spend $32,000 only.

If California's prisons were privately run, it would save us billions of dollars a year. That's billions of dollars that could go back into higher education where it belongs and where it better serves our future.

Tookie Williams insufficiently remorseful; so execution on

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger questioned the sincerity of Williams’ conversion to nonviolence. His 5-page statement on his decision to deny clemency for Williams said, “Is Williams’ redemption complete and sincere, or is it just a hollow promise?” He added: “ Without an apology and atonement, the one thing that would be the clearest indication of complete remorse is the one thing Williams will not do.”

The editor of Williams’ books pledged that his supporters would not give up their fight to prove Williams’ innocence. “We are going to prove his innocence, and when we do, we are going to show that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is himself a cold blooded murderer.”

Death penalty is a necessary and effective deterrent

A: Yes. I believe it is a necessary and effective deterrent to capital crimes.

Keep “Three Strikes” law

A: Yes, and I believe it should not be modified. It has proven to be an excellent deterrent to violent crime.