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.
Release them on monday and bet they will be back in in a week
If you foolish people knew what truely goes on prisons you would releae them all. Torture and starvation is the same as capital punishment for a minor crime and should be stopped by releasing them so that their families can help them. No one has the right to torture or starve or mutilate another person and I'm not a hippie you'all,
We know what they're like on the outside, so , no, we don't want to release them all. Maybe they should have thought of the consequences of the actions before they committed them. How about we let them all move in with you instead of going to prison?
I'd say that the fools here are the ones in prison, and the ones who want to let them out. Those facts are matters of public record. You call me foolish, but know nothing about me. I forgive you.
What on earth have you been reading? Torture? Starvation? REALLY? What planet are you living on? Go to the middle east or Africa, I have been to both, THEN call what goes on in our prisons torture and starvation...geez
You will instantly forgive an inmate for putting THEMSELVES in the position they are in then condemn ME, a military combat veteran for being "trained to kill people, even innocents" WHAT?! Ma'am I must have been out the day I was trained how to kill innocent civilians because I can recall having my friends wounded or worse while holding their fire for fear of hurting those innocents you claim I am trained to kill.
I agree with the lady that said lethal injection. That is a non violent form of punishment for non violent crimes.
What would a non-violent punishment for violent stupidity be?
Really – death penalty for a non-violent crime – perhaps along the lines of shoplifting food to feed your children. Wow! How about writing bad checks? Death? Really?
You obviously are a military person who has been trained to kill people, even those who are innocent. As inmates these people have no rights and are considered guilty even before they have been before a judge. What happened to the justice system which used to say "You re innocent until proven guilty in a court of law." And what ever happened to Miranda rights? They never tell you that anymore either. And I remember Perry Mason because I am older than you all.
Military people are trained to and sworn to protect your right to "free speech," no matter the cost to them. They WILL try to do this and stay alive as well. In the process, mistakes are made. Unless you've been there, don't go there! Please have some respect for those who fight and die to protect your right to embarrass yourself in a worldwide way.
Are you a Moslem or something. Who gives you the ritght tokill somebody.
Great, so not only do we take care of their every need while they're in prison (and what we're providing for them is insufficient apparently), but now we get to take care of common criminals outside of prison. Time to collect your welfare checks and get back to shooting/lighting up!
What label should i pin to you? Redneck?
Have you been to prison? I really, honestly think stupidity like yours should be a crime. Maybe you should quit "lighting up".
Beautiful arguments. I have been swayed by your baseless name-calling. Shall I label you intellectuals?
Problem retardo: I'm lighting up right now and i employ 16 guys – i'm sure at least 1 or 2 is a right-wing idiot like you, so you lighten up and we light up :)-*
I love how the men get angry about "gender equality" when as a gender, the men of the world denied women rights for an excessively long time. In some parts of the world they still do. Don't complain about gender equality, when most of you would never stand up for a woman. We men seem to be real pansies when we're being unfairly treated but gladly allow others to bear it.
Are you saying we should turn the other cheek.A lot of men would say that is being a pansy.
Can anybody answer the question as to why it is just women that are going to be released. Careful ladies, I have a feeling you'll answer the obvious.
SAVE?? yeah right!!! once those criminals are out, they will stand in line at the social services dept demanding food stamps, welfare, and section 8 housing. that's an average of $3000 per person per month!
They'll be on parole which means they'll have to work or will be sent back to prison. Good to know you don't know anything though.
@Ummmew your comments make me smile. 😀
Try to read a newspaper every now and then please. These people aren't allowed any "free" benefits when released. As parolees, they MUST find a job or go back to prison...
Do you think that smoking weed or stealing something is worthyof a capital punishment. God's son was crucified by people like you.
It's laughable to think that a quarter of those women deserve lethal injection. No, it's just sick. People that think so are the real problem with this country.
@LDS:
Lmao!
DUNEBUGGIES???
Well played! 🙂
You are just jealous because my 68 camaro is faster than your car. It has a bored out 454 ci engine with a turbo 400 tranny and 12 bolt posi rear. Last year we stuck on a 6-71 supercharger. It is painted flat black and is troll powered. TROLLLLL POWERED, BABY : ) : )
I have some for sale, call me at the Whitehouse
Execute the ones on death row and the ones with no possability of parole. That will free up some space and give the ones still on the street a reason not to wind up in there.
@Toby
And I love how people get angry about men getting angry about equality. It's not equality if laws, rights and priviledges aren't applies *gasp* equally. If you want to get self-righteous about equality, fine. But if you want to be "equal" it doesn't mean leaving white men out of the equation... It means putting everyone on an even playing field. But if you're for inequality at the expense of men, just say it, because that's apparently what you're after.
And your statement that men wouldn't stand up for women is ridiculous. No matter the group, there have always been white, straight men advocating equality at their side and there always will be.
Indeed! Also they want to be equal in everything else but signing up for SSS at 18 and risk being set out into some god awful battlefield to die for your country.