That was the assessment of Governor Schwarzenegger today in a speech in which he announced a special session of the Legislature to deal with California’s problem-plagued prison system, and propsoals ranging from new prison construction to counseling for prisoners about to be released.

The announcement of a special session was made by Schwarzenegger this morning in Irvine, in a speech to the California District Attorneys Association. The governor said he will ask legislators to focus on four proposals: the selling of “lease revenue” bonds to finance new prison construction; expedited purchasing and spending when it comes to prisons; the transfer of 4500 low-risk women prisoners to community facilities in order to free up space; and new “re-entry” psychological counseling before inmates are released.

The special session begins tomorrow, and would allow his proposals to be signed into law before the Legislature wraps up its work in August. Special sessions, by the way, often run concurrently with regular sessions of the Legislature. It may sound as though everyone will drop what they’re doing, but it’s more about expediting work on a certain issue.

The last few days have been tough ones for the Schwarzenegger administration on this subject. Last week, a new scathing report accused the governor of “a retreat from prison reform” and suggested too much new influence by the California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA). That report was written by the watchdog appointed by a federal judge who continues his inquiry into problems in the state prison system.

This morning, the governor suggested that if the courts were to completely take over the system, that would also force the early release of “tens of thousands” of prisoners. “I know you will agree that this is something we cannot tolerate,” Schwarzenegger told the audience of prosecutors.

And in what sounded like a defense of his administration, he said: “California prisons were a mess when I took office, and we have worked on prison reform since day one.”

Dems Respond: Senate President Don Perata (D-Oakland) says a “real dialogue” is needed on prison problems, one not just limited to the governor’s four proposals. In a written statement this afternoon, he suggested that the system needs long-term leadership in the wake of top-level resignations earlier this year. “How can the Department of Corrections achieve fundamental change with no permanent leaders at the helm?” he asked.