CA Prisons & Jails to Release Thousands Early

State prison and jail inmates with two months or less left to serve on their sentences are receiving early releases due to fears of widespread corona virus outbreaks.  Sam Stanton of the Sacramento Bee reports that at least 1,700 inmates will be released from the Los Angeles County Jail while another 3,500 will be released from California prisons.  Officials said that most of the inmates released are non-violent offenders.  Other county jail releases have been ordered for Sacramento County (541), Alameda County (314), Fresno County (207) and Orange County (130).  No word on if the classification of “non-violent” is based on the inmate’s most recent crime, or his entire record.  Under California’s Proposition  57, a car thief with priors for rape and second-degree murder is eligible for early release.  If this is the same criteria being used for releases due to corona virus fears, many serious offenders will be hitting the streets.

While the impact of turning more known criminals loose will likely lead to more crimes of all types, businesses shut down due to the statewide lockdown are particularly vulnerable.  Recent stories in the Los Angeles Times, the San Jose Mercury News and the Sacramento Bee suggest a spike in burglaries at restaurants, gun shops, and other businesses could be coming.   Unfortunately, the releases ordered to protect convicted criminals from getting sick, does not address the increased risk that more law abiding citizens will become crime victims.