Under Newsom's administration, California's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) launched a $189 million program that provided around 90,000 digital tablets to incarcerated individuals throughout the state. While the program was officially intended to facilitate family communication and education, it has encountered significant issues with security and oversight.
You read that correctly. 90,000 tablets at a cost to taxpayers of $189 million. The devices enable inmates to make free phone calls, send electronic messages, and access resources such as e-books, vocational courses, and entertainment options.
Doesn’t all of that sound sweet? Unfortunately, California officials have put as little thought into this project as they did into their high-speed train endeavor, which has already cost taxpayers around $15 billion. Due to significant delays and scope reductions, the estimated total cost to complete Phase 1 of the train line—from San Francisco to Los Angeles—has soared from $126 billion to over $231 billion.
However, in the case of the state-issued tablets, reports and journalistic investigations have revealed that some incarcerated individuals are able to access pornography and engage in X-rated video chats.
State lawmakers and watchdogs expressed urgent concerns after reports emerged that inmates allegedly used smuggled Wi-Fi or manipulated devices to access the internet and groom or contact minors.
Although the tablets are closely monitored, experts and reports indicate that some inmates have managed to bypass the digital restrictions or "jailbreak" the devices to modify their functionality.
So, congratulations, California. Condemned prisoners on California’s death row are spending part of their time watching pornography and having inappropriate conversations using taxpayer-funded tablets as the state continues its shift toward a Norwegian-inspired approach to rehabilitating criminals.
This is another one of the Democrats' painfully stupid ideas that cost taxpayers millions. All in the pursuit of what these pinheads call “digital equity.”