Jerry Brown is asking lawmakers to set aside $10.6 million to begin the sweeping overhaul of prison parole he convinced California voters to approve last fall, a proposal that corrections officials say reflects his continued commitment to public safety and reforms. Law enforcement officials said this week that Brown’s budget proposal seems to have assuaged at least some of those concerns. The budget includes $5.7 million to revamp the state prison computer system and hire additional staff to review and handle an increase in parole cases. Proposition 57 did not include language exempting sex offenders from early parole consideration, and inmates could file legal challenges against the exclusion, said Michele Hanisee, president of the Assn. For now, the budget proposal requires officials to increase and standardize “good-time credit earnings” awarded to inmates who avoid breaking prison rules.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 13, 2017 08:07 UTC