The Associated Press reported embattled California Governor Gavin Newsome’s administration has announced it will be increasing early release for some 76,000 prisoners, including violent offenders and many with life sentences.
“More than 63,000 inmates convicted of violent crimes will be eligible for good behavior credits that shorten their sentences by one-third instead of the one-fifth that had been in place since 2017,” the AP reported.
“The goal is to increase incentives for the incarcerated population to practice good behavior and follow the rules while serving their time, and participate in rehabilitative and educational programs, which will lead to safer prisons,” California Office of Administrative Law spokeswoman Dana Simas said in a statement. “Additionally, these changes would help to reduce the prison population by allowing incarcerated persons to earn their way home sooner.”
Republican Senator Jim Nielsen disagrees with Newsome’s effort to empty the prisons.
“He’s doing it on his own authority, instead of the will of the people through their elected representatives or directly through their own votes,” he said. “This is what I call Newsom’s time off for bad behavior. He’s putting us all at greater risk and there seems to be no end to the degree to which he wants to do that.”