California to release 3,500 inmates to mitigate COVID-19 spread

LOS ANGELES - The US state of California will release up to 3,500 inmates as part of a plan to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in state prisons, said a statement from California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) on Tuesday.

According to the statement, eligible inmates are those "who have 60 days or less to serve on their sentences, and are not currently serving time for a violent crime as defined by law, a sex offense, or domestic violence."

The measures will increase both capacity and physical space at the state's prisons, which will allow the increase of physical distancing, as well as implementation of isolation and quarantine efforts for suspected or positive COVID-19 cases.

"Our first commitment at CDCR is ensuring safety -- of our staff, of the incarcerated population, of others inside our institutions, and of the community at large," said CDCR Secretary Ralph Diaz. "However, in the face of a global pandemic, we must consider the risk of COVID-19 infection as a grave threat to safety, too."

As of Tuesday, four inmates and 25 CDCR employees have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the latest tally from the CDCR.