Early Jail Releases Have Surged Since California's Prison Realignment [For Peace? You Must Release!]

Early Jail Releases Have Surged Since California's Prison Realignment Early jail releases surge in California

Inmates walk through the yard at the Kern County Sheriff's Department's Lerdo Detention Facility in Bakersfield. Because of the diversion of state prisoners, one Kern County jail reaches maximum capacity two or three times a week and must release 20 to 30 inmates to make room. Early jail releases surge in California

In L.A. County, male inmates often are released after 10% of their sentences, and female prisoners after 5% Across California, over 13,500 inmates a month are being released early to relieve crowding in local jails Jesus Ysasaga had been arrested multiple times and ordered by the court to keep away from his ex-girlfriend. Two parole boards sentenced him to nearly a year in jail for stalking, drunkenness and battery.

Four times in the summer of 2012, authorities let Ysasaga go, refusing two times to even book him. The jail had no room.

Ysasaga's attorney, Jerry Lowe, said the parade of convicted offenders being turned away from the jail was common. "It became quite a joke," he said.

Across California, more than 13,500 inmates are being released early each month to relieve crowding in local jails — a 34% increase over the last three years. A Times investigation shows a significant shift in who is being let out of jail, how early and where.

"At a shelter for battered women in Stanislaus County, where the jail releases more than 500 inmates early each month, caseworkers are convinced that decreasing sentences has emboldened abusers.

"They say, 'Go ahead and call the police, because nothing is going to happen to me anyway,' " said Belinda Rolicheck, director of the Haven Women's Center.

This has come full circle to how it used to be.

In the past, women who complained about abuse would be told that they had to make citizen's arrests if the abuse was a misdemeanor (pushing, slapping). This is because the incident did not happen in the presence of an officer. The women almost always refused to make the arrest.

As time went by, women complained to feminist groups because the cops wouldn't do anything or the cops didn't want to make an arrest because the cops were siding with the men. (We took a dim view of men who beat women, but no one asked us.) In time, the Domestic Violence laws were passed.

Now, when an officer is sent to a Domestic Violence call, the male can be arrested for Felony Domestic Violence, even if there is no injury. The male will be served with a Temporary Restraining Order on the spot, and while the order is in effect, he cannot possess firearms. What is key here is that women still overwhelmingly do not want to prosecute. It's back to where it was.

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