The Truth Hidden Behind Prison Bars Given the ongoing challenges generated by California's prison system, federal court oversight was inevitable. As time passes, the importance of adapting the correctional system to meet at least the minimum needs of prisoners grows. The current state of the operating system is not only of concern to legislators, but also to the inmates themselves, their families and society. As a purpose-driven state, California must prioritize converting a dysfunctional prison system into a successful correctional facility that better meets California's demands; requests, such as adequate space in prisons to avoid overcrowding and dignified living conditions to avoid the spread of contagion. As John Aborn and others point out in the article "The California Prison and Rehabilitation System," "[t]here are several factors that have contributed to the problem of overcrowding, including policy decisions and the lack of effective educational and rehabilitative programs" (Aborn , et al).Overcrowding is just one of the many problematic aspects of the correctional system. Problems such as these are the result of inadequate policies and ineffective attempts to educate and rehabilitate criminal minds due to a lack of action regarding how prisons are managed, California spending on prisons has increased over the last decade. Huffington Post, “[s]ince 1980, spending on higher education has declined 13 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars, while spending on California prisons and related correctional facilities programs has skyrocketed by 436 %” (Sankin). Unfortunately, financial support for both institutions comes from the same general fund. Therefore, universities and prisons are constantly competing with each other for subsidies. As a result, excessive prison spending has given rise to shortfalls such as budget cuts on multiple state-funded programs. The allocation of money to California prisons promises nothing but economic loss to the California prison system