Sacramento, Yolo Counties Publicizing Names Of Early Release Prisoners
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Yolo County has joined Sacramento County in combating the impact of the State's Early Prisoner Release Program.
The Yolo County District Attorney's Office launched a website this month detailing the inmates being released and the crimes they've committed.
"The website first is intended to inform - this is what's happening," Yolo County Assistant Chief Deputy D.A. Melinda Aiello said. "It impacts public safety and so we do feel it's important for our victims, our constituents, to be aware of what's happening."
Sacramento County was the first in the area to publish a similar website. It began naming names and crimes of prisoners released under this program back in November.
"There used to be this thing called 'truth in sentencing' and that doesn't exist anymore because now we've created all these ways to let people out of prison early," said Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert. "My thing about this particular program is I think it's important the public know the truth."
Law enforcement officials in both Yolo and Sacramento counties call the program's official title, the Non-Violent Second Strike Program, misleading.
Under the program, inmates serving time for a non-violent crime and who've completed 50 percent of their sentence - and are not registered sex offenders - can be released early.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, in an effort to ease prison overcrowding, began the early release program last year.
The CDCR was ordered by a Federal Court to make the move.
For more information on both Sacramento and Yolo County alerting the public about the prisoners being released under the "Non-Violent Second Strikes" Program can be found at both counties' websites: