Updated July 16, 2020 –
On June 21, the California Correctional Center [CCC] in Susanville reported four positive cases of COVID-19. Prison staff immediately suspended all routine movement in and out of the facility and implemented a modified program that limits movement and programming within the prison.
In consultation with Lassen County Public Health officials, CCC tested all inmates housed at the institution. Testing is ongoing, and at its peak, some 250 active COVID-19 cases had been diagnosed at CCC.
The number of active cases in CCC declined over the first 2 weeks of July, but over the past few days, the number of cases has once again jumped to near peak levels.
According to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation [CDCR] records, as of this writing, there are 223 active cases of COVID-19 in CCC with 224 new cases reported over the past 2 weeks.
In a statement from CDCR, the California Correctional Center (CCC) took “decisive action” to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
CCC activated an incident Command Post, which is a central location where prison officials and California Corrections Health Care Services experts monitor information, prepare for known and unknown events, and exchange information centrally in order to make decisions and provide guidance quickly.
CCC facilities were deep cleaned, personal protective equipment (PPE) was provided to staff and inmates, and CCC health care staff are making multiple rounds daily to immediately identify anyone with symptoms and address their health care needs. The population at CCC have access to showers while practicing physical distancing.
Decompression
Systemwide, CDCR and CCHCS have taken extraordinary measures to address the spread of the virus to include the biggest reduction in prison population in recent history. According to CDCR, more than 10,000 inmates have been released since March.
All individuals are tested for COVID-19 within seven days of release. According to a press release, CDCR is working closely with stakeholders, local law enforcement partners, and other agencies to leverage state and federal resources for housing in the community to help meet the reentry needs of released inmates.
For all those released under these efforts, CDCR is making victim notifications in accordance with all CDCR procedures and California state law.
Last Friday, CDCR announced additional actions that will further reduce its population by an estimated 8,000 incarcerated people and maximize space to address COVID-19.
180-day release
This statewide cohort is currently being screened and released on a rolling basis in order to continuously create more space in all institutions throughout the pandemic. CDCR estimates that 4,800 people could be eligible for release by the end of July.
In order to be eligible, inmates must meet the following criteria:
- Have 180 days or less to serve on their sentence
- Are not currently serving time for domestic violence or a violent crime as defined by law
- Have no current or prior sentences that require them to register as a sex offender under Penal Code 290
- Not have an assessment score that indicates a high risk for violence
One-year release
CDCR is also reviewing for release incarcerated persons with 365 days or less to serve on their sentence, and who reside within identified institutions that house large populations of high-risk patients.
The institutions are: San Quentin State Prison (SQ), Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF), California Health Care Facility (CHCF), California Institution for Men (CIM), California Institution for Women (CIW), California Medical Facility (CMF), Folsom State Prison (FOL) and Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJD).
In order to be eligible, inmates must meet the following criteria:
- Have 365 days or less to serve on their sentence
- Are not currently serving time for domestic violence or a violent crime as defined by law
- Have no current or prior sentences that require them to register as a sex offender
- Not have an assessment indicating a high risk for violence
Individuals who are 30 and over and who meet the eligibility criteria are immediately eligible for release. Those who meet these criteria and are age 29 or under will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for release. CDCR will consider medical risk, case factors, and time served, among other factors, in determining whether to expedite release for those identified in this cohort.
These cohorts will be screened on a rolling basis until CDCR determines such releases are no longer necessary.
Positive Programming Credits
To recognize the impact on access to programs and credit earning during the COVID-19 pandemic, CDCR will award a one-time Positive Programming Credit (PPC) to all eligible incarcerated people.
This credit of 12 weeks will be awarded to help offset not only credits not earned due to program suspensions, but also to recognize the immense burden incarcerated people have shouldered through these unprecedented times.
In order to be eligible to receive this credit, an incarcerated individual must:
- Currently incarcerated
- This includes all 35 adult institutions, community correctional facilities, fire camps, Male Community Reentry Program, Community Prisoner Mother Program, Custody to Community Transitional Program, Alternative Custody Program, and those serving a state prison sentence in a state hospital.
- Not be condemned to death or serving life without the possibility of parole
- As this authorization exists in state law and therefore does not require a regulation change, CDCR must follow the exclusions outlined in the law, which means those serving life without the possibility of parole and people who are condemned are not eligible for credit earning.
- No serious rules violations between March 1 and July 5, 2020
- This encompasses all Division “A” through “F” offenses, which include but are not limited to murder, rape, battery, assault, arson, escape, possession/distribution of contraband, possession of a cellphone, and gang activity.
CDCR estimates that nearly 108,000 people will be eligible for PPC. Of these, about 2,100 would advance to the point they are eligible for release between July and September.
High-Risk Medical
Individuals deemed “high risk” are considered to be at greater risk for morbidity and mortality should they contract COVID-19. They include people over age 65 who have chronic conditions, or those with respiratory illnesses such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
In order to be eligible, incarcerated persons must meet the following criteria:
- Deemed high risk for COVID-19 complications by CCHCS
- Not serving LWOP or condemned
- Have an assessment indicating a low risk for violence
- No high-risk sex offenders (HRSO)
- HRSO indicates a convicted sex offender who is required to register pursuant to Penal Code Section 290, and has been identified to pose a higher risk to commit a new sex offense in the community, as determined using a standard risk assessment tools for sex offenders.
Based on individual review of each incarcerated person’s risk factors, an estimated number of releases in this cohort is not available.
Additional release efforts
CDCR is reviewing potential release protocols for incarcerated persons who are in hospice or pregnant, as they are considered at high risk for COVID-19 complications. Everybody will be reviewed based on both their current health risk and risk to public safety.
CDCR will also be expediting the release of incarcerated persons who have been found suitable for parole by the Board of Parole Hearings and Governor, but who have not yet been released from prison.
Previous Decompression Efforts:
These new measures build on many others already taken to reduce the risk of COVID-19 to all who work and live in the state prison system. Those measures include:
- Reducing CDCR’s population in its institutions by more than 10,000 since mid-March.
- Implemented measures to support increased physical distancing, including reducing the number of people who use common spaces at the same time, transferring people out of lower level dorms to celled housing, and erecting tents to create alternate housing and care sites.
- Suspension of movement within and between institutions, other than for critical purposes.
- Suspension of visitation, volunteers, and group programming.
- Implemented mandatory verbal and temperature screenings for staff before they enter any institutions and other CDCR work sites
- Reinforced commitment to hygiene, both institutional and personal, including greater availability of soap and hand sanitizer.
- Providing educational materials to all staff and incarcerated people, including posters, quick reference pocket guides, webinars, and educational videos.
