State Analyst: Some Work Still Needed On Prop. 57 To Reduce Prison Population

California’s prison population could shrink by nearly 10,000 over the next few years under Proposition 57, which was approved by voters last fall.

But State Analyst Caitlin O'Neil says some fine-tuning may still be needed for the measure's rollout.

Proposition 57 makes more non-violent offenders eligible for parole. O’Neil says next year alone it will likely save more than $20 million. But there’s some question over the state’s plan to implement it, which excludes sex registrants.

Voters said all nonviolent offenders shall be eligible.

“Somebody could be required to register as a sex offender for a prior conviction. They may be currently serving time for an offense that is not a sex offense," O'Neil says. "But they would still be considered a sex registrant, and as such they would be excluded from parole consideration under the current regulations.”

A report O’Neil wrote for the state Legislative Analyst’s Office also urges officials to look at ways to make parole decisions more consistent.