The state has ordered the release of up to 8,000 prisoners before the end of August to deal with a “catastrophic” COVID-19 outbreak at California prisons. Multiple state prisons have seen coronavirus outbreaks in their inmate populations, including at the Chino men’s and women’s prisons here in San Bernardino County. Eligible inmates will receive a credit on their sentence effective August 1 to clear space during the pandemic. Releases are expected shortly thereafter. The Corrections Department already had reduced inmate populations systemwide by about 10,000 since March.
There are 2,286 active cases of COVID-19 in the California prison population, with the death toll at 31. There are 719 active cases among Corrections Department staff.
Exceptions in the early release program are those on death row, those serving life sentences without the possibility of parole and those found guilty of serious rules violations since March 1 while in prison. Also ineligible are domestic violence offenders, violent offenders, and those who have prior or current sentences that require them to register as sex offenders.
