Antonovich Calls for Limit on Early Inmate Release

Written by City News Service

A county supervisor this week urged Sheriff Lee Baca to find a way to limit the early release of inmates convicted of violent and sexual crimes.

Supervisor Michael Antonovich cited a recent Los Angeles Times investigation that found a sharp increase over the last two years in the number of county jail inmates being released before serving their full sentences. Antonovich focused on those convicted of serious and violent offenses.

"Inmates with serious and violent charges are only serving 40 percent of their sentence in county jail," Antonovich said. "These offenders were referred to as M7s and faced charges such as child molestation, rape, negligent discharge of a firearm, kidnapping, mayhem, child abuse and aggravated assault."

Antonovich attributed the releases to budget cuts, changes in sentencing laws and California legislation that shifted responsibility for lower-level offenders to counties in October 2011.

He asked for a report from the Sheriff's Department, including the impact of proposals to contract prisoners out to a former state prison in Kern County run by the city of Taft and to move 528 inmates to fire camps secured by state corrections officers.

A report is expected back by Sept. 12.