CA Rehabilitation Programs Not Working:  State auditors have released a report finding that, eight years after California embarked on a historic sentencing reduction and rehabilitation crusade, the recidivism rate for released prison inmates has not improved.  The Associated Press reports that the assessment relied on data from 2014-2015 and tracked inmates over several years.  Auditors noted that, after years of inmate releases and millions spent on rehabilitation programs both inside and outside of prison, the rate at which released inmates are committing new crimes "remains stubbornly high" running at about 50% over the past decade. The auditors stressed a need for Corrections to be more active in assuring that these programs are more effective.  A Corrections spokesperson, as expected, responded that her department is ramping up its efforts to make things better.  In the meantime thousands of Californians are beaten, robbed, raped and murdered each year by criminals, determined to be  "low risk" by Corrections, and released back into communities to programs that don't work.  The solution, from proponents and politicians which support the state's sentencing reforms, is to spend more money.   

Huge Drug Bust at Arizona Border:  U.S. Customs agents seized roughly 250 1bs. of fentanyl and almost 400 lbs. of methamphetamine at the Nogales border last Saturday.  Anita Snow of the Associated Press reports that the drugs, valued at and estimated $4.6 million, were found in a hidden compartment in a Mexican produce truck crossing into Arizona.  It was the largest fendanyl bust in history.  The drug, which is several times more powerful than heroin, has caused record-breaking fatal overdoses in the U.S. 

Illegal Alien Sex Offender Nabbed In Texas:  A Mexican national who had served three stints in U.S. prisons for sexually abusing children, was arrested Wednesday during a traffic stop.  Cody Derespina of Fox News reports that Marvin Yovani Mejia Ramos had been pulled over for a traffic violation and given the officer a fake name.  The officer conducted an onsite fingerprint scan which revealed his true identify and that he was in the U.S. illegally.  He had served two prison sentences in California for sexual assault on a child and a third for lewd acts on a child under 14.  He had been deported in 2013, and again in 2015 after a DUI arrest.  It was fortunate that he was pulled over in Texas, it is illegal in California and other sanctuary jurisdictions for police to investigate the immigration status of those stopped for traffic violations.  Mejia Ramos has been turned over the ICE for deportation.