Senator Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, announced Wednesday he’s coauthoring a bill to bring much-needed accountability and transparency to the prisoner early release process.
Senate Bill 288 (SB 288) would require the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to make public the calculations used to decide a prisoner’s early release.
“The status quo is dangerous and the public is right to want some answers on how and why a dangerous prisoner is granted early release,” said Senator Wilk. “The recent senseless killing of an officer in Fresno County by a newly released dangerous felon is a tragic example of a criminals-first agenda gone awry. All the finger-pointing by government officials still leaves this question unanswered: How was it decided that he should be let out? The silence is deafening and an insult to the families of the victims.”
On Jan. 31, 2023, Selma police officer and father-to-be Gonzalo Carrasco Jr was brutally shot and killed by 23-year-old Nathaniel Dixon. Dixon is a convicted felon with a history of robbery, firearms possession and drug offenses.
Fresno County District Attorney Lisa A. Smittcamp said in a statement, “Governor Newsom and every legislator in the state of California who supports this over-reaching phenomenon [recent early release credit reforms] they try to disguise as legitimate criminal justice reform, has the blood of this officer on their hands.”
Another example of the flawed early release policy happened in April 2022, when career criminal Smiley Martin participated in a Sacramento shooting that left six dead. He was released just two months before that shooting despite his criminal history.
When questioned about the Martin release, CDCR Secretary Ralph Diaz said, “I can’t calculate how he got out in the time that he did.”
“Rather than creating more victims, let’s add transparency to the process. Accountability might give someone pause before deciding to let a dangerous criminal out early,” concluded Wilk.
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Love the idea Senator, but you and I know that a Republican introducing a bill that will shine light on bad decisions made by other legislators will not go anywhere. I’m certain almost the entire population of California would like your bill to pass but that doesn’t mean the people they elected will let it happen.
Thank you for attempting to add accountability to this process. Sadly we know the Democratic party platform abhors accountability and personal responsibility for any actions and in this one-party State, this sadly has little chance of passing. But we need to keep up the pressure for reasonable measures like this.
You mean like the gas lighting attempts of the GOP calling voting suppression and gerrymandering efforts “voting integrity?” Or perhaps the violent domestic terrorists who stormed our nations Capital, and calling them “patriots?” Perhaps the attempted coup to subvert our free, fair and democratic election process and subverting our Constitution by installing an unqualified narcissistic pathological liar? What’s your definition of accountability? Deal in facts not delusions.
Release convicts to the Sacramento legislators intern and house sitters pools.
It is an exaggeration to say the ENTIRE dominant party “abhors accountability and responsibility for any actions…”
I think that many Californians agree with Senator Wilk. They want criminals and politicians held accountable. Unfortunately some people are both!