AB 1260 - SUPPORT (CDCR Transparency)

Dear Chairman Jones-Sawyer and Assembly Public Safety Committee members, 

I am writing in support of Assembly Bill 1260 and to emphasize the importance of transparency in every step of the criminal justice process. 

Assembly Bill 1260 would require the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to notify district attorneys and local law enforcement of changes in the awarding of credits to inmates as well as other relevant information relating to the release. 

With policies and procedures promulgated since the passage of Proposition 57, CDCR has increased the rate at which inmates are awarded good conduct and other credits. These increased credits often result in significant changes to an inmate’s minimum eligible parole date and the release of an inmate. District attorneys, local law enforcement, crime victims and survivors are uninformed of these changes and subsequent releases. 

AB 1260 will align the collection of data and notifications of good conduct credit releases with the existing procedures of the Proposition 57 parole hearings. The goal of these notifications is to allow the victims and survivors affected by an inmate’s crime to have the appropriate notice to allow them to plan accordingly. These include victims and survivors of hate crimes, gun violence, sexual assault, child abuse and more. 

The path to progress is a noble one. The positive impacts of successful rehabilitative programs are critical to individual redemption and to our community at large. The lack of clarity and transparency in the early release process cannot be allowed to overshadow the positive rehabilitative work being done locally and statewide. Polices implemented without transparency breed fear and uncertainty. The manner in which credits have been awarded under the veil of secrecy, as well as the ambiguous release protocols, has created distrust and skepticism in our communities. 

Quite simply, there is a need for increased transparency in CDCR as it relates to the awarding of credits and the release of individuals who have received them. Increased transparency will also inform policy makers of the efficacy and effectiveness of rehabilitative programming within CDCR. 

For these reasons stated, I hope you will consider your support for AB 1260.