Thousands of women inmates from California prisons could soon be released to be reunited with their families under a program the state began implementing on Monday.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said offenders whose crimes were nonviolent, nonserious and not sexual, with less than two years remaining on their sentences, are eligible for the Alternative Custody Program, which was signed into law in 2010 by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“Approximately two-thirds of CDCR’s female inmates are mothers whose children are either with relatives or are in foster care,” CDCR Secretary Matthew Cate said in a press release. “ACP is a step in breaking the intergenerational cycle of incarceration, as family involvement is one of the biggest indicators of an inmate’s rehabilitation.”
About 45% of the state's 10,000 female inmates may be eligible for the program, the CDCR said. It may be made available to male inmates in the future, the department said.
Those admitted to the program will wear electronic monitors and be supervised by a parole agent, the CDCR said. They can serve their remaining time at home or in a residential substance-abuse or transitional-care facility, according to the agency.
The prisoners will be allowed to find jobs or attend classes during their release, the department said.
The state of California should save about $6 million a year under the program, the CDCR estimated.
California is under federal pressure to reduce inmate populations. The Supreme Court this summer upheld a lower court ruling that medical and mental health care for inmates in the state prison system falls below the level required by the Constitution.
Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law in April a plan to reduce prison crowding by moving 33,000 low-level offenders to county jails. But the state is cash-strapped, and funding for that plan, estimated at $460 million in the first year, must be approved by voters in November.
California has the nation's largest prison system.
Makes sense, welfare is probably a lot cheaper than keeping them in jail.
Have to save money so that California can continue to pay the illegal immigrants tuition and health care.
WELL SOMEBODY HAS TO PAY FOR US WE ARE STILL HUMAN BEINGS. Ever since I came to this country I have job and they say I dont have to pay taxes cuz I get paid in cash and I just go to emergency room for free health care. I love America.
If supervision is really there then fine! There are a lot of possibly productive people, and over-sentenced people sitting in Prison! The real criminals are the heads of Gov't and above!
Right Bucktooth!
The oversentencing part is true.
They must need to set aside a revolving room for Lindsay.
Hahaha, good one!
So, these children do not have Fathers, or? Just female prisoners, huh? Yes, let's let the female PRISONERS out because their children need them to teach them how to be good people. I say it's a losing solution either way, but what about the men?
The people who put this story together were keenly aware of this point, as they used a picture of a male prison and male prisoners. Was this because they were not allowed to discuss the gender inequality going on in this story/directive. Or was it because they hate men, and just wanted to rub our noses in it?
Please, CNN staff member, let us know.
that's fine. there should be a stipulation that they can never leave that liberal stink hole california.
cause the dating scene in LA just wasn't sketch enough
Are any of them Fu_kable??
Your Mom and sister were when they were in prison.
What is funny is the photo for this story the inmates are men.
The program only applies to women, so mark this up as a loss, to whom ever photo edited this piece.
For the "editors" it is the middle of the night in Hyderabad.
The point of the photo is to illustrate that prisons are so overcrowded that inmates are being housed in a gymnasium. Did you bother to read the article, or are you just unable to put that together?
An end to marijuana prohibition would dramatically improve our focus on real trouble - and cripple the underground economy. It's outrageous that people are criminalized for smoking something that is much less harmful than tobacco. We need to focus on the crack, the crank and the pill pushers. We're losing the "war" because we fight the wrong battle. It can be grown domestically. The cartels would lose. Those that choose to use would. Those that didn't wouldn't. Just like alcohol. But it actually has many benefits. Of course, we can always deny science, wreck more lives and build more prisons.
In my city marijuana possession is a summary offense. The intake process is just too costly. People are required to watch a drug abuse video, pay a fine, and their records are expunged. All the city really needs is the money. Also, electronic monitoring and supervision is in effect in many jurisdictions. It's called house arrest. California needs to get more realistic.
Republicans. Sorry. 8>/
"California has the nation's largest prison system." I wonder if that is because it has the largest population.
Women are just like the mentally retarded. Not much they can't get away with.
What is the estimated cost of adding 4500 more people to the welfare dole?
Less than the cost of housing them with 24 hour guards. People aren't eligible for house arrest unless they have a residence to serve their sentence in. That will significantly cut back on the state's costs.
There is no such thing as "welfare". It is called public assistance. A much worthier cause to spend taxpayer money on than say the oil & gas industry which gets BILLIONS of your taxes in grants and subsidies every year. Billions more is given in subsidies to agri-business so they won't grow certain crops. 100s of times more than is given to those that cannot or will not take care of themselves. Corporate welfare is a crime. Unfortunately, the Republics are the first to declare how awful :welfare: is for private persons while fighting to be first in line to greedily suck up corporate welfare.
Ooops....Republicans. (sigh)
Wow... let only the women out? If I had a male loved one in prison I would sue the state for discrimination.
Find jobs?? LMAO! With all the unemployed in California, I'm sure people will be rushing to hire an ex-con