Name: Thousands of California prison inmates will be released early because of coronavirus
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Thousands of California prison inmates will be released early because of coronavirus

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AdvertisementThousands of California prison inmates will be released early because of coronavirusHide TranscriptShow TranscriptOF BEING CAUTIOUS WHILE OUT AND ABOUT INCLUDING WEARING MASKS. TEO: ONE OF THE WORST OUTBREAKS IN THE STATE IS AT A PRISON THAT HOUSES DEATH ROW INMATES. THE ALARMING NUMBERS FROM SAM QUENTIN -- SAM QUENTIN. DEIRDRE: FAMILY MEMBERS ARE DRAWING ATTENTION TO WHAT IS HAPPENING. YESTERDAY FRIENDS AND FAMILY HELD A PROTEST OUTSIDE SAN QUENTIN AND WANT TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO ACT. THEY HAVE 1600 CASES FOR INMATES AND 200 FOR STAFF. SEVEN INMATES HAVE DIED, INCLUDING THREE ON DEATH ROW. SAN QUENTIN HAD NO CASES IN MAY. THE STATE TRANSFERRED INMATES FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NOT KNOWING THE PRISONERS WERE ALREADY INFECTED. &gt;&gt; IT WAS RIGHT FOR AN OUT GREAT -- FOR AN OUTBREAK. &gt;&gt; NOTHING LESS THAN THE WORST PRISON HEALTH SCREWUP IN STATE HISTORY. DEIRDRE: FRIENDS AND FAMILY WANT THE GOVERNOR TO VISIT THE PRESENT. THEY WANT NONDANGEROUS PRISONERS RELEASED AND DECENT MEDIC CARE FOR THEM. THERE ARE NINE TENTS SET UP THERE NOW AND THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS SAYS THEY ARE BEING USED, EACH HOUSING 10 PATIENTS AND THE PRISON IS CONVERTING A WAREHOUSE INTO ANOTHER MEDICAL FACILITY. THAT ONE WILL TAKE CARE OF 220 PEOPLE.AdvertisementThousands of California prison inmates will be released early because of coronavirusAmid a huge spike in California inmates with coronavirus, the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said it plans to release most prison inmates 12 weeks early.Those in CDCR custody will be given "12 weeks of credit" unless an inmate is found guilty of a serious rules violation between March 1 and July 5, according to a letter on the agency's website signed by CDCR Secretary Ralph Diaz. Those serving life without the possibility of parole and people on death row are also not eligible. An estimated 108,000 inmates are eligible for the credit, CDCR said. Of those, about 2,100 would be eligible for release between July and September. "To continue to effectively fight this virus, we must create more space in our prisons, both to expand physical distancing to slow COVID-19’s spread and to ease some of the immense challenges staff face every day. To do this, CDCR is expediting some releases and exploring other options," the letter reads in part. The 12-week credit will "help offset not only credits not earned due to program suspensions, but also to recognize the immense burden incarcerated people have shouldered through these unprecedented times," CDCR said in a news release. Under the 12-week credit and other, more restrictive measures to reduce the population at California jails, an estimated 8,000 inmates could be eligible for release by the end of August. All inmates will be tested for COVID-19 within seven days of release, officials said.The early release announcement comes as California deals with a massive outbreak at San Quentin State Prison, which has seen more than 1,300 cases and seven reported deaths, according to data on the CDCR's website. The outbreak began there in May when San Quentin had no confirmed cases at all. The state then transferred a group of inmates from the California Institution for Men in Chino without properly testing them for infection.“It has been incredibly frustrating that we had someone make the decision to transfer a few patients, from one prison, Chino, into San Quentin. And that decision created the chain of events that we are now addressing and dealing with," Gov. Gavin Newsom said during a news conference Thursday. More than 2,300 inmates in California have gotten sick with coronavirus and at least 31 have died. CDCR said it has lost 32 employees to the virus. -- The Associated Press contributed reporting to this story.Amid a huge spike in California inmates with coronavirus, the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said it plans to release most prison inmates 12 weeks early.Those in CDCR custody will be given "12 weeks of credit" unless an inmate is found guilty of a serious rules violation between March 1 and July 5, . Those serving life without the possibility of parole and people on death row are also not eligible.AdvertisementAn estimated 108,000 inmates are eligible for the credit, CDCR said. Of those, about 2,100 would be eligible for release between July and September. "To continue to effectively fight this virus, we must create more space in our prisons, both to expand physical distancing to slow COVID-19’s spread and to ease some of the immense challenges staff face every day. To do this, CDCR is expediting some releases and exploring other options," the letter reads in part. The 12-week credit will "help offset not only credits not earned due to program suspensions, but also to recognize the immense burden incarcerated people have shouldered through these unprecedented times," CDCR said in a news release. Under the 12-week credit and other, more restrictive measures to reduce the population at California jails, an estimated 8,000 inmates could be eligible for release by the end of August.All inmates will be tested for COVID-19 within seven days of release, officials said.The early release announcement comes as California deals with a massive outbreak at San Quentin State Prison, which has seen more than 1,300 cases and seven reported deaths, . The outbreak began there in May when San Quentin had no confirmed cases at all. The state then transferred a group of inmates from the California Institution for Men in Chino without properly testing them for infection.“It has been incredibly frustrating that we had someone make the decision to transfer a few patients, from one prison, Chino, into San Quentin. And that decision created the chain of events that we are now addressing and dealing with," Gov. Gavin Newsom said during a news conference Thursday.More than 2,300 inmates in California have gotten sick with coronavirus and at least 31 have died. CDCR said it has lost 32 employees to the virus. -- The Associated Press contributed reporting to this story.Loading more articles...

AdvertisementThousands of California prison inmates will be released early because of coronavirusHide TranscriptShow TranscriptOF BEING CAUTIOUS WHILE OUT AND ABOUT INCLUDING WEARING MASKS. TEO: ONE OF THE WORST OUTBREAKS IN THE STATE IS AT A PRISON THAT HOUSES DEATH ROW INMATES. THE ALARMING NUMBERS FROM SAM QUENTIN -- SAM QUENTIN. DEIRDRE: FAMILY MEMBERS ARE DRAWING ATTENTION TO WHAT IS HAPPENING. YESTERDAY FRIENDS AND FAMILY HELD A PROTEST OUTSIDE SAN QUENTIN AND WANT TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO ACT. THEY HAVE 1600 CASES FOR INMATES AND 200 FOR STAFF. SEVEN...

Thousands of California prison inmates will be released early because of coronavirus

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