Listen Live
Donate
 on air
    Schedule

    KCRW

    Read & Explore

    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Culture
    • Events

    Listen

    • Live Radio
    • Music
    • Podcasts
    • Full Schedule

    Information

    • About
    • Careers
    • Help / FAQ
    • Newsletters
    • Contact

    Support

    • Become a Member
    • Become a VIP
    • Ways to Give
    • Shop
    • Member Perks

    Become a Member

    Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

    DonateGive Monthly

    Copyright 2026 KCRW. All rights reserved.

    Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
    Cookie Policy
    |FCC Public Files|

    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    Supreme Court Orders California to Relieve Prison Overcrowding

    A majority of the US Supreme Court has ruled that California must reduce its prison population to relieve overcrowding that violates the Constitution. Dissenters claim that will mean 33,000 criminals loose on the street--while state officials are looking for ways not to release any prisoners at all.

    • rss
    • Share
    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    A majority of the US Supreme Court has ruled that California must reduce its prison population to relieve overcrowding that violates the Constitution. Dissenters claim that will mean 33,000 criminals loose on the street--while state officials are looking for ways not to release any prisoners at all. With the US incarcerating more people than any other nation, will other states face similar orders? Even many conservatives say we can’t afford more prisons. We’ll hear how Texas and other states found cheaper alternatives for punishing criminals while reducing crime and maintaining standards of common decency.

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Supreme Court Orders California to Relieve Prison Overcrowding
    1. 0:00Gun Rights Make Strange Bedfellows in Patriot Act Debate
    2. 7:36Supreme Court Orders California to Relieve Prison OvercrowdingYou’re reading this
    3. 36:43War Crime Fugitive Ratko Mladic Arrested in Serbia
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • KCRW placeholder

      Carol Williams

      Los Angeles Times

    • KCRW placeholder

      Michael Bien

      Partner, Rosen, Bien & Galyan

    • KCRW placeholder

      Marc Levin

      Right on Crime

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Supreme Court Orders California to Relieve Prison Overcrowding
    1. 0:00Gun Rights Make Strange Bedfellows in Patriot Act Debate
    2. 7:36Supreme Court Orders California to Relieve Prison OvercrowdingYou’re reading this
    3. 36:43War Crime Fugitive Ratko Mladic Arrested in Serbia
    Back to To the Point