1. What ruling did the Supreme Court make on the case regarding overcrowding in California prisons?

2. a) List the justices who wrote or joined the majority opinion.
b) List the justices who wrote or joined dissenting opinions.

3. For what reason did Justice Antonin Scalia oppose the lower court's ruling?

4. a) What tough law did California pass that probably contributed to overcrowding in the prisons?
b) What action has California thus far not taken to ease overcrowding in the prisons?

5. Read the "Background" below the questions.
a) What do you think about Justice Kennedy's belief that the way to reduce overcrowding and end the violation of prisoners' 8th Amendment rights is to force the state to release tens of thousands of prisoners?
b) What do you think about Justice Scalia's statement that the courts were acting beyond their powers, and about his belief that another solution can be found for the overcrowding problem in place of a massive prison release, saying "terrible things are sure to happen as a consequence of this outrageous order"?
c) What do you think should be done about the overcrowding in California's prisons?