In the land of Dixie

Scott is back from California and has a bunch of interesting links at the top. Of particular interest is this on Chambers County in Texas, where the arrest rate dropped by 60-70% when the jail was shut down. The Sheriff says the public is not adversely impacted, that they are no more vulnerable to crime. Which leads to the conclusion, then all those arrests prior to the jail closing were really unncessary weren't they?

Also of great interest to me is current Alabama Governor Riley's sudden interest in prison reform. He's calling on his task force's recommendations to be immediately implemented.

The task force found that drug use was so pervasive in prisons, it's the wrong place for inmates who want to stop using.

"Instead of just putting them in this environment where their drug habit gets worse, their criminal record gets worse, they should be treated in a different environment," [a drug rehabilitation counselor] said.

Sounds like they took a page out of Loretta Nall's book, doesn't it? Seems to me, maybe Riley is a little worried about her challenge for his seat.