The Supreme Court on California State Prisons

A divided US Supreme Court has created uncertainty and some fear by ordering California to reduce the prison population by some 30,000 inmates. The majority said overcrowding has caused "needless suffering and death," while the dissenters said public safety will be at risk from a wave of criminals released to the streets. Will county jails provide a solution? What about reducing some of the nation's toughest sentencing laws and finding alternatives to prison for less serious offenders? We hear opposing views. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu wows them on Capitol Hill.

Banner image: A California Department of Corrections officer at Chino State Prison locks up the overcrowded dayroom of Sycamore Hall that was modified to house prisoners on December 10, 2010 in Chino, California. Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images