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Lane Garrison's Recovery Stunted by the System

State budget cuts put an end to actor's stay in prison's substance abuse program; he'll be returned to the general population

By Natalie Finn, Ken Baker Aug 07, 2008 11:18 PMTags
Lane GarrisonNick Ut/AP Photo

So much for the proud notion of rehabilitation.

As E! News exclusively reported, last week was supposed to be Lane Garrison's introduction to the substance-abuse program at the state prison in Tehachapi, Calif., where the former Prison Break actor is serving a 40-month sentence for vehicular manslaughter involving alcohol.

Unfortunately, it was also his last.

Garrison's long-awaited transfer into the substance-abuse program is over before it really began, E! News has learned. It turns out that the program within the California Department of Corrections was one of many services that were cut when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed and issued an executive order to ensure that the state has enough money to operate in the near future without a budget.

"They came back from lunch, and there was just a sign on the door. And that was just that," said a source close to another inmate who was previously in the program.

CDC spokesperson Terry Thornton confirmed: "Inmate Garrison and, of course, others" are no longer in the SAP program because it was eliminated.

"The Substance Abuse Program is a contracted program and was suspended due to the fact that there is no state budget."

When asked if it would be reinstated, she said it remains a possibility "contingent on when there is a state budget."

Following the July 31 decision, the CDC ombudsman sent a form letter Aug. 4 stating:

"Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed and issued an Executive Order to [ensure] the state has enough money to operate in the short term without a state budget. Contract services were cut. SAP is a contract service."

Garrison is expected to remain at California Correctional Institute at Tehachapi, where he was transfered earlier this summer, and will return to the general population. He'll most likely spend the majority of his time printing books as part of the prison's vocational program.

"Lane is very disappointed," said a source close the actor. "He had waited a long time to get in this program and was looking forward to the hope of turning this horrible situation into something positive."

"All he can do is continue to remain positive and try to help and influence others as best as he can while serving out the rest of his sentence."