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Compassion for inmates should not outweigh safety concerns

July 11, 2020

Opinion by SLO County District Attorney Dan Dow

Career criminals, those serving sentences for serious crimes, and individuals with prior convictions for violent offenses will likely be released early. In addition, prisoners with prior convictions of domestic violence, elder abuse, child abuse, and human trafficking for labor which are not classified as ‘violent’ may be among those released early.

On Friday, it was announced by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that they will implement a new plan to release up to 8,000 inmates who are within one year of their release date. While excluding those inmates currently serving time on ‘violent’ offenses and domestic violence, it remains very likely that many deemed eligible for early release will be career criminals and individuals with prior convictions for violent offenses, thus releasing violent offenders.

Since AB 109 (the California Public Safety Realignment Act of 2011) was signed into law, with very few exceptions, only violent, serious, and sex offenders have been sentenced to state prison. The non-violent, non-serious, and non-sex offenders are not in prison because the Realignment Act in 2011 made them ineligible for state prison sentences and instead serve their time in county jails.

“I am very troubled that victims of crime and other law abiding citizens who are doing every thing they can to follow state and local directives in order to stay safe and healthy will now have to wonder if they will become the next victim of a career criminal who was released early from serving their prison sentence,” said District Attorney Dan Dow. “Our compassion for prisoners cannot outweigh our compassion for victims of crime and law abiding citizens.”

With the Governor’s approval of CDCR’s decision today to release up to 8,000 state prison inmates early due to concerns of coronavirus, it means that career criminals and those convicted of serious, violent, or sex offenses will be released to communities without having fully served their terms. Inmates with prior convictions for offenses like domestic violence, elder abuse, child abuse, and human trafficking for labor which are not classified as ‘violent’ may be among those released early.

Victim’s of crime who are concerned about the potential release of a criminal offender are encouraged to contact the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to voice your concern.

CDCR’s Office of Victim & Survivor Rights & Services

Phone (877) 256-6877

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Office of Victim & Survivor Rights & Services
P.O. Box 942883
Sacramento, CA 94283-0001

Email: victimservices@cdcr.ca.gov


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Dow for governor.


2

Yeah Dow, WTF? Bill Worrell and Charles Tenborg? The work was already done for you.


1

Sorry DA Dow if you were to stop protecting the special class, the rapist LEO’s, the criminals at the IWMA, the political thefts at the SCSD along with the many others maybe we could actually believe you have some concern to make sure criminals serve their time, but until then you will just be seen as another self serving politician that needs to be replaced.


8

If you knew anything about how you actually need slam-dunk evidence to successfully prosecute a case, you wouldn’t make such baseless accusations. You can’t take a bunch of hearsay and private investigator crap and run into court with it.


2

“8,000 inmates who are within one year of their release date” and yes, womanwhohasbeenthere, with a felony(ies) on their records it will be difficult for these folks to get a job with a living wage.


-8

That is part of the consequences of their actions. Who doesn’t know that???


6

How about adding “over 60” to the list of requirements before being released. Younger inmates are not in danger.


13

How about releasing none of them, they did the crime, do the time.


14

Funny, I thought Dan would be for releasing inmates so he could work on his skills prosecuting felons. How many felony trials has he prosecuted again?


13

Does Dan Dow have any record of trying to improve safety for people in custody? California’s recklessness with the health of those it imprisons is already notorious and has put the state under court supervision. Or does “safety” only matter when it can be used as a rhetorical billy club to call for more, longer, worse imprisonment?


-24

I could not agree more. Many of the “homeless” around here are ex-cons, so be assured their numbers will grow. At the very least these prisoners should be required to go live with a relative or other responsible person, in the county from which they came, and wear an ankle bracelet to identify their whereabouts. Instead they will apply for and get EBT (food stamps), welfare, Medi-Cal, and if they had a job in prison they will probably get unemployment and maybe a stimulus check! What a racket!


37

$81k per year to incarcerate in CA


Food stamps $2400

Welfare $4800

Medi-cal $12k generous

Stimulus check $2000


$21,200 ;-(


-5

emergency room visits, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$


4

You are rght Dan, keep us in prison and let the criminals out…perfect. Thanks for fighting for us and keep up the good work!


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