Early Release For 8,000 California Inmates Amid Coronavirus

CALIFORNIA — In an effort to slow coronavirus spread inside California prisons, it was announced Friday the state is slated to release thousands more inmates starting this month.

The action follows criticism that the state is not doing enough to prevent COVID-19 infections inside its prisons.

“We’re glad the Governor is taking action to release more people," said Jay Jordan, executive director, Californians for Safety and Justice. "This is absolutely critical for the health and safety of every Californian. Too many people are incarcerated for too long in facilities that spread poor health. Supporting the health and safety of all Californians means releasing people unnecessarily incarcerated and transforming our justice system.”

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has previously announced "emergency decompression" efforts amid the pandemic. Statewide, the inmate population has been reduced by approximately 10,000 in recent months to "maximize available space" for physical distancing, isolation, and quarantine, according to the CDCR.

“These actions are taken to provide for the health and safety of the incarcerated population and staff,” CDCR Secretary Ralph Diaz said. “We aim to implement these decompression measures in a way that aligns both public health and public safety.”

According to the CDCR, inmates will be tested for COVID-19 within "seven days of release," and state officials will work with local law enforcement and other agencies for housing and reentry needs of the convicts.

CDCR is also contacting victims, the agency said.

The CDCR has provided some details on which inmates will be eligible for release.

For example, inmates across all state prisons who have 180 days or less to serve will be released on a "rolling basis" provided they meet certain criteria:

· Have 180 days or less to serve on their sentence
· Are not currently serving time for domestic violence or a violent crime (as defined by law)
· Have no current or prior sentences that require them to register as a sex offender under Penal Code 290
· Do not have a high risk for violence

Under the criteria, the CDCR estimates that 4,800 inmates could be eligible for release by the end of July.

The CDCR is also reviewing early release for inmates with a year or less to serve on their sentence and who are housed in prisons with large populations of high-risk individuals. The institutions include San Quentin State Prison in San Quentin, Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, California Health Care Facility in Stockton, California Institution for Men in Chino, California Institution for Women in Chino, California Medical Facility in Vacaville, Folsom State Prison in Folsom, and Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County.

In order for these inmates to be eligible for early release, they must also meet specific criteria:

· Have 365 days or less to serve on their sentence
· Are not currently serving time for domestic violence or a violent crime as defined by law
· Have no current or prior sentences that require them to register as a sex offender
· Do not have a high risk for violence

Inmates who are 30 and over and who meet the criteria are immediately eligible for release, according to the CDCR. Those who meet the criteria but are 29 or under will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for release. Officials will consider medical risk, case factors, and time served, among other issues, the agency said.

The state is also offering credits to inmates, which could allow additional early releases. CDCR estimates that nearly 108,000 inmates would qualify under the program, and 2,100 would become eligible for release between July and September.

Other inmates who might qualify for early release include those over age 65 with chronic conditions, or those with respiratory illnesses such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The CDCR is also reviewing potential early release for inmates who are in hospice or pregnant.

Inmates condemned to death or serving life without the possibility of parole, "high-risk" sex offenders, and those with a high risk for violence do not qualify, according to the CDCR.

The CDCR reports a total of 5,837 confirmed COVID-19 cases across California prisons, with 2,315 of the cases considered active infections (not recovered from the illness). Thirty-one coronavirus-related deaths have been reported across the institutions. California Institution for Men in the Inland Empire reports the highest death toll at 17. San Quentin reports seven fatalities linked to the illness.