Crime victims, advocates criticize Newsom's plan to make San Quentin State Prison a rehab facility
Critics say more resources should go to helping people who are victimized by crime.
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Crime victims and advocates say Governor Newsom's plan to transform San Quentin State Prison to San Quentin Rehabilitation Center is far-fetched and dangerous.
Marc Klaas strongly opposes the plan.
"I think it's a bunch of garbage. I think it's backwards. I think it dangerous to the good people of California," Klaas said.
Klaas' 12-year-old daughter Polly was kidnapped and murdered by convicted killer Richard Allen Davis.
RELATED: Newsom plans to transform San Quentin, home to death row, into rehabilitation center
Davis is on death row at San Quentin State Prison.
Klaas says emphasizing rehabilitation does not work for violent offenders like Davis.
"Richard Allen Davis was released in 1993. He was given a job that paid him $16.50 an hour in 1993 as a machinist that was trained in a rehab program and three months later, my daughter was dead," Klaas said.
Nina Salarno Besselman, the president of Crime Victims United, says the Governor never reached out to crime victims' advocates. She says rehabilitation works better with less serious offenders in low-level facilities like county jails.
RELATED: Former San Quentin inmate weighs in on Gov. Newsom's plan to transform the max security prison
"Rehab has to be thoughtful and vetted. We have seen some of these policies that are not thoughtful and vetted," Salarno Besselman said. "We have more violent criminals. Our theft is on the rise. That's great to give couches and kitchens when we start losing families. I think his priorities are mixed up."
Critics say more resources should go to helping people who are victimized by crime.
Klaas says he shudders at the thought of Davis or other repeat violent offenders being rehabilitated.
"The idea that they could move this guy some place safer or somehow rehabilitate this guy or the other 600-700 cop killers, baby killers, serial killers and spree killers on death row is absolutely ludicrous," Klaas said.
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