Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Neptune to Launch a Creator-First, Customizable Algorithm Social Platform to Rival TikTok

4 hours ago

Kamala Harris Will Not Run for Governor of California in 2026

4 hours ago

Trump Pushes for Release of Epstein, Maxwell Grand Jury Testimony

6 hours ago

Trump Says US to Hit India With 25% Tariff Starting Friday

7 hours ago

Tariff Revenues Hit Record $150 Billion Amid Trump’s Trade Talks, Fox Business Reports

8 hours ago

Israeli Minister Hints at Annexing Parts of Gaza

9 hours ago

Fed Likely to Hold Rates Steady Despite Trump’s Push for Big Cuts

9 hours ago

What’s Behind California’s Frozen Housing Market?

1 day ago

Marjorie Taylor Greene Is First Republican Lawmaker to Call Gaza Crisis a ‘Genocide’

1 day ago
41 County DAs Oppose State's New Early Prison Release Rules
Bill McEwen updated website photo 2024
By Bill McEwen, News Director
Published 4 years ago on
May 14, 2021

Share

State Attorney General candidate Anne Marie Schubert wants to overturn new good conduct credits resulting in the early release of many thousands of California prison inmates.

And, Schubert has an overwhelming majority of county district attorneys lined up behind her.

“CDCR’s use of emergency regulations to reduce sentences will result in the early release of some of our state’s most dangerous criminals.” — Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp 

Forty-one of the state’s 58 district attorneys formally petitioned Corrections Secretary Kathleen Allison to repeal the regulations, saying the department faces no operational emergency.

The rule change “impacts crime victims and creates a serious public safety risk,” Schubert, the Sacramento County district attorney,  said in a statement. “Victims, their families, and all Californians deserve a fair and honest debate about the wisdom of such drastic regulations.”

In a news release, Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp said that “by shortening sentences by as much as 50%, CDCR’s use of emergency regulations to reduce sentences will result in the early release of some of our state’s most dangerous criminals. The impact of such a reckless action on crime victims and public safety is obvious and must be challenged. The petition submitted asks CDCR to repeal these regulations, begin the process anew and allow for transparency and public input.”

Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward echoed Smittcamp’s sentiments. The “adopted regulation changes increase the amount of custodial credits, thus granting early releases to violent offenders as well as non-violent offenders serving sentences under California’s Three Strikes Law,” Ward said.

Emergency Process Used to Revise Rules

Corrections officials used an emergency regulatory process for the rules affecting 76,000 inmates, most serving time for violent offenses. The changes took effect May 1, but it will be months or years until the inmates build up enough credits to exit prison early.

The Valley district attorneys signing the petition: Smittcamp, Ward, Kern County’s Cynthia Zimmer, Kings County’s Keith Fagundes, and Madera County’s Sally Moreno.

However, justice reform-minded DAs from Los Angeles (George Gascón) and San Francisco (Chesa Boudin) didn’t sign the petition.

Sacramento County District Attorney Anna Marie Schubert is running for state Attorney General. (sacda.org)

Showdown on Criminal Justice Reform

Schubert is running as an independent against newly appointed Attorney General Rob Bonta, a liberal Democrat. Bonta replaced  Xavier Becerra after he joined the Biden administration. Also in the race is moderate Republican Nathan Hochman, former assistant U.S. attorney.

Many political observers see the 2022 state Attorney General’s race as a referendum on how California handles crime and punishment.

The emergency rulemaking means no public hearings or comment until next year, after the department submits permanent regulations for review.

In a statement, Corrections officials said they are reviewing the petition to determine the next steps.

Proposition 57 Empowers Early Release Speed-Up

Prison officials pointed out that voters approved Proposition 57 in 2016. The proposition gave the Corrections department power to provide more opportunities for early release. And, they said the emergency order was drafted in compliance with state policies. The public, they said, can still weigh in on them before they become final.

The revised regulations increase good behavior credits for more than 63,000 inmates convicted of violent crimes, the corrections department projected. The changes would allow them to serve two-thirds of their sentences rather than 80%. The increased credits began on May 1.

Another 10,000 prisoners convicted of a second serious but nonviolent offense under Three Strikes will be eligible for release after serving half their sentences. That’s down from two-thirds. The same increase applies to nearly 2,900 nonviolent third strikers.

Minimum-security inmates in work camps are all eligible for a month of earlier release credits for every month they spend in the camp — regardless of their crimes.

(Associated Press contributed to this article.)

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

High Noon Recalls Mislabeled Vodka Seltzers Shipped in Celsius Cans, NBC Reports

DON'T MISS

Wired Wednesday: New Fresno Ordinance Targets Vacant Blighted Properties

DON'T MISS

Fresno Unified Trustee Susan Wittrup Responds to $162,000 Payout

DON'T MISS

Visalia Suspect in Fatal Assault and Serial Sexual Battery Cases Arrested in Alaska

DON'T MISS

Canada Says It Intends to Recognize a Palestinian State in September

DON'T MISS

Dubai Nut Processor Aims for October Opening in Fresno: Dyer

DON'T MISS

Costa Blasts GOP Over Medi-Cal Cuts. His 2026 Opponent Defends Them

DON'T MISS

Trump Says US and Pakistan Have Concluded a Trade Deal

DON'T MISS

Trump Imposes Scaled-Back Copper Tariff, US Prices Plunge

DON'T MISS

Neptune to Launch a Creator-First, Customizable Algorithm Social Platform to Rival TikTok

UP NEXT

Wired Wednesday: New Fresno Ordinance Targets Vacant Blighted Properties

UP NEXT

Fresno Unified Trustee Susan Wittrup Responds to $162,000 Payout

UP NEXT

Visalia Suspect in Fatal Assault and Serial Sexual Battery Cases Arrested in Alaska

UP NEXT

Canada Says It Intends to Recognize a Palestinian State in September

UP NEXT

Dubai Nut Processor Aims for October Opening in Fresno: Dyer

UP NEXT

Costa Blasts GOP Over Medi-Cal Cuts. His 2026 Opponent Defends Them

UP NEXT

Trump Says US and Pakistan Have Concluded a Trade Deal

UP NEXT

Trump Imposes Scaled-Back Copper Tariff, US Prices Plunge

UP NEXT

Neptune to Launch a Creator-First, Customizable Algorithm Social Platform to Rival TikTok

UP NEXT

Kamala Harris Will Not Run for Governor of California in 2026

Bill McEwen,
News Director
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email

Visalia Suspect in Fatal Assault and Serial Sexual Battery Cases Arrested in Alaska

2 hours ago

Canada Says It Intends to Recognize a Palestinian State in September

2 hours ago

Dubai Nut Processor Aims for October Opening in Fresno: Dyer

2 hours ago

Costa Blasts GOP Over Medi-Cal Cuts. His 2026 Opponent Defends Them

3 hours ago

Trump Says US and Pakistan Have Concluded a Trade Deal

3 hours ago

Trump Imposes Scaled-Back Copper Tariff, US Prices Plunge

3 hours ago

Neptune to Launch a Creator-First, Customizable Algorithm Social Platform to Rival TikTok

4 hours ago

Kamala Harris Will Not Run for Governor of California in 2026

4 hours ago

How Netanyahu Keeps Playing Trump for a Fool in Gaza

5 hours ago

Trump Signs Order Implementing Additional 40% Tariff on Brazil, White House Says

5 hours ago

High Noon Recalls Mislabeled Vodka Seltzers Shipped in Celsius Cans, NBC Reports

High Noon is recalling some of its vodka seltzers after discovering they were mistakenly labeled as Celsius Astro Vibe energy drinks. The co...

44 minutes ago

High Noon has recalled some vodka seltzers after they were accidentally labeled as Celsius energy drinks and shipped to six states. (Shutterstock)
44 minutes ago

High Noon Recalls Mislabeled Vodka Seltzers Shipped in Celsius Cans, NBC Reports

1 hour ago

Wired Wednesday: New Fresno Ordinance Targets Vacant Blighted Properties

Fresno Unified Susan Wittrup
1 hour ago

Fresno Unified Trustee Susan Wittrup Responds to $162,000 Payout

Adrian Hernandez Medrano, 20, accused in multiple sexual battery cases and a fatal assault in Visalia was arrested in Alaska, police said. (Visalia PD)
2 hours ago

Visalia Suspect in Fatal Assault and Serial Sexual Battery Cases Arrested in Alaska

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks to journalists outside his office on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada June 30, 2025. (Reuters File)
2 hours ago

Canada Says It Intends to Recognize a Palestinian State in September

2 hours ago

Dubai Nut Processor Aims for October Opening in Fresno: Dyer

Congressmember Jim Costa defends Medicaid / Medi-Cal, and responds to GOP criticism at a Fresno news conference on July 30, 2025
3 hours ago

Costa Blasts GOP Over Medi-Cal Cuts. His 2026 Opponent Defends Them

Shipping containers are seen at the Karachi port in Karachi, Pakistan, June 10, 2025. (Reuters File)
3 hours ago

Trump Says US and Pakistan Have Concluded a Trade Deal

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend