Early Inmate Release In Riverside County: Notifications Available

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Due to recent changes in California law, as well as circumstances resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, some inmates are being released from custody earlier than the date originally determined at the time of sentencing.

While district attorney's offices across the state are striving to contact all victims to notify them of changes in sentencing, inmate release dates and parole hearing dates, victims are also encouraged to register for notifications from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitationand/or county jails.

To be notified directly by CDCR of a release date or parole hearing, register at:
https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/ Once on the site, sign up for 1707 notifications: select Victims Services option drop down menu and choose Request Services (this will take you directly to the 1707 instructions). To view if an inmate is in CDCR custody: select Offender Info option drop down menu and choose Inmate Locator.

To register for notification of release from county jails, register at: www.vinelink.com Select the state and follow the prompts.

More than 300 prison inmates who were being released early in California due to coronavirus concerns were scheduled to come to Riverside County. Most were nearly done serving their sentences and all have a "low risk for violence," the Riverside County Probation Department announced in late July.

"The Riverside County Probation Department is prepared to supervise the 330 California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) inmates scheduled for early release to the county as part of California's plan to slow the spread of COVID-19 in state prisons," the department said in the July news release.

"Our department is ready to manage the influx of new clients," said Riverside County Chief Probation Officer Ronald L. Miller. "Most of these individuals were already scheduled to return to the county over the next few months. We are simply receiving them in a short period instead of staggered over time."

Coronavirus is not the only reason for early release. Changes in state law and at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation may result in an offender being released or qualifying for a parole hearing earlier than anticipated. According to the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, these reasons include:

Youthful Offender Parole Hearings – In 2018, the legislature expanded the definition of a “youthful offender” to include anyone who was under the age of 26 when they committed their crime. This created new parole opportunities for many offenders. Anyone who is sentenced to more than 15 years but has less than a life sentence will automatically get a parole hearing in their 15th year of incarceration. Anyone sentenced to less than 25 years to life receives a hearing in their 20th year, and any youthful offender sentenced to more than 25 years to life will have a parole hearing in their 25th year of incarceration.

Elder Parole Hearings – Inmates 60 or older and who have been in custody for 25 years or more qualify to have a parole hearing.

Expanded Medical Parole Hearings – If an inmate has certain medical conditions they can be released to a skilled nursing facility.

Compassionate Releases – Recommended by CDCR due to inmate’s health condition and heard by a judge to determine if the inmate should be resentenced and released.

Nonviolent Parole Hearings – Proposition 57 was passed by the voters in 2016. It established a pathway to early parole for offenders who are serving sentences for crimes deemed “nonviolent” by the Penal Code. Prop 57 also created ways for offenders to earn additional credits toward their sentences, which leads to earlier release dates.

Felony Murder Cases - In January 2019, the California legislature changed the long-existing murder laws, narrowing the definition of murder. These laws are retroactive, so people who were convicted of murder in the past can petition to have the court review whether they could still be convicted of murder today. If they could not, they are entitled to have their murder conviction vacated and replaced with a conviction for a lesser crime. The changes to the law affect only a small portion of murder convictions.

Prior Felony Convictions - Sometimes CDCR asks a District Attorney’s Office to reconsider and reduce an inmate’s sentence. Such request may arise based on the inmate’s behavior in the prison system or because the inmate has serious medical conditions. When a DA’s Office receives such requests, it considers CDCR’s position as well as concerns for fundamental fairness and the impact on victims before making any decisions.