The answer to runaway prison cost is a constitutional amendment, creating a new clemency system. For too long grieving relatives of the victims of violent crimes have used politicians and vice verse. In a vengeful attempt for closure which in my opinion is impossible, both have gained enough sympathy from well intended, but naive voters, who are paying the price of their naiveté. The result has been the highest amount of people incarcerated in the country (170,000). Californians pay the largest amount to house a single inmate per year in the country ($49,000.00). In addition, we are cursed with the pettiest Three Strikes Law, which has incarcerated more than 400 individuals at 25 years minimum each, for offenses that are no more serious than stealing “cookies.” What a new clemency system in California could do is, slow down the overzealous prosecutions by putting prosecutors on notice that an inmate can take his or her case to a newly created clemency board in their county for a more reasonable sentence that could include a total pardon. If we continue to lean on our current attitude on justice, we will never solve the death penalty debate.