Author: Chris Megerian and Paige St. John
Source: L.A. Times
Date: August 7, 2013
Summary: California officials want to free 1,000 inmates to ease crowding of jails and prisons.
In Sacramento, California officials are scrambling around to relocate 9,600 inmates and they might be forced to free 1,000 before they complete their sentences. Since prisons are becoming full, the state is working to move hundreds of prisoners to Alameda County jails and to rent space in a private prison. They said that the low-level criminals, such as seriously ill and elderly inmates could be released. Many of these things would be costly which is they still need to release about 1000 more prisoners. As of right now, no releases have been scheduled but they have already developed the criteria for allowing seriously ill prisoners to be let out. Prisoners need 24-hour care to qualify and if they have a terminal illness or disability such as Alzheimer’s. Those who have been sentenced to death or life without parole would be ineligible. Also, elderly prisoners have to be at least 60, and serving for 25 years of their term. In addition to that about 500 low level inmates who have a year left to serve could be released and considered less likely than others to commit new crimes. Many jails are now full and officials have to determine what kind of flexibility they have and what capacity they can develop by the end of the year. This issue truly deals with the releasing of prisoners and how they can just do it. This comes to show that our government wants to slowly release prisoners simply because “there isn’t any more space”. If the government is willing to protect us and protect our rights as citizens, they should keep the prisoners off the streets and in jail. The government should also find a way to relocate if not create a facility to keep these prisoners in jail. The government put them there in the first place for a reason and now they want