San Bernardino County Officials Voice Public Safety Concerns Over Death Row Inmate Transfer to Chino Institution for Men (CIM)
Chino, CA - Fourth District Supervisor Curt Hagman, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus, and District Attorney Jason Anderson, are raising concerns over the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's (CDCR) decision to transfer death row inmates to San Bernardino County.
Chino Institution for Men (CIM) is receiving the third highest transfer of inmates in the state, following the closure of San Quentin's death row by Governor Gavin Newsom who announced his plan to transition San Quentin into a rehabilitation center.
Supervisor Curt Hagman raised concerns over public safety stating, "The transfer of death row inmates to CIM creates tangible public safety concerns for local residents. CIM has a history of infrastructure deficiencies that have resulted in several well-documented, recent escapes. Relocating this category of inmate to CIM is irresponsible and ignores the realities of what the facility is capable of handling."
Sheriff Shannon Dicus added, "Addressing infrastructure and capacity is critical for maintaining the order of the facility, but it also safeguards the well-being of our community. I encourage our residents to contact the governor's office and CDCR to oppose the alignment of San Quentin and the diminishment of the state correctional system. CIM, dating back to World War II, demands reinvestment to uphold safety in the Chino Valley community."
District Attorney Jason Anderson remarked, "Inmates with sentences that involve capital punishment require a heightened level of facility security and should not be treated like other inmates. Transferring the third highest number of death row individuals in the state to a lower security prison raises issues of safety for the community and increases concerns for the well-being of correctional officers who work at CIM and live nearby."
Residents can contact Governor Gavin Newsom through the following link: https://www.gov.ca.gov/contact/. (Please select the "Prison Issues/Concerns" topic from the dropdown menu and proceed to leave your comment.)
CDCR manages the Condemned Inmate Transfer Program (CITP), which places inmates in correction facilities with an electrified security perimeter, integrating them into the general population.
CIM is the third oldest prison in the state, and local officials have previously voiced related apprehensions over CDCR's plan to add an acute mental health facility for the incarcerated. County officials, again, join the City of Chino in raising their concerns about the risk of this inmate transfer to the Chino Valley community.
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