Just when you thought things couldn't get much worse – CA will be releasing 76,000 inmates early, including violent and repeat felons.
More than 63K inmates will be eligible for good behavior credits that shorten their sentences by one-third. This includes almost 20k inmates who are serving life sentences. More than 10K people convicted for a second serious but nonviolent offense will be eligible for release after serving just half their sentences. Also, all minimum security inmates in work camps will be eligible for the same month of earlier release for every month they spend in the camp – no matter the severity of the crime.
These changes were approved by the state Office of Administrative Law this week. There was little public notice and they were submitted and approved within three weeks.
Department spokeswoman Dana Simas says:
The goal is to increase incentives for the incarcerated population to practice good behavior and follow the rules while serving their time, and participate in rehabilitative and educational programs, which will lead to safer prisons. Additionally, these changes would help to reduce the prison population by allowing incarcerated persons to earn their way home sooner.
Officials say in mid-April a second prison will be closing as a result of the population decline.
Republican state Sen. Jim Nielsen has criticized Newsom:
He’s doing it on his own authority, instead of the will of the people through their elected representatives or directly through their own votes. This is what I call Newsom’s time off for bad behavior. He’s putting us all at greater risk and there seems to be no end to the degree to which he wants to do that.
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PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
LISTEN to John and Ken as they talk with Michael Rushford, President of the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation: