LESS THAN 1%
Over the last 10 years, about 8,000 people serving long sentences were released on parole. Of those, less than 1% recommitted a felony crime against a person.
$132,860
California spent a record $132,860 a year keeping people incarcerated who've rehabilitated in 2024 — money that could fund two full time jobs, a college degree, childcare for eight kids.
In California, less than 4% of people have gained freedom after being sentenced to life without parole. In 2021, The Human Rights Watch interviewed 110 of the 143 individuals who were have been released due to changes in state law and executive power. This report focuses on the historic release of these individuals and examines the positive contributions they have made with their Second Chance.
Contributing to Community
70% said they have stepped into a healthy adult role in the life of a young person.
84% reported financially assisting other people since being released from prison.
94% reported volunteering with charities, community organizations, or nonprofit organizations since release.
Education Since Release
Respondents reported the following on their educational endeavors since release.
3 earned an associate's degree
6 completed a bachelor's degree
30 were taking college courses
Testimonials
Dara Y.
Dara Y. was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole at 19 years old. Over the next 20 years, Dara obtained his GED, followed by his bachelor’s degree in communications as part of a prison partnership with California State University. Then in 2022, Governor Newsom commuted his sentence to 18 years to life, making him eligible for a parole hearing and ultimately earning release. Now, Dara works with API Rise, an organization that supports Asian and Pacific Islanders released from prison. His work is motivated by memories of the men who mentored him, led workshops, as well as classes that contributed to his change of course and rehabilitation.
Allen B.
Allen B. was arrested in 1992 at the age of 18, convicted of murder, and sentenced to life without parole plus five years. In 2019, the California Governor recognized Allen’s dramatic change and commuted his sentence. Allen was released after going through the parole process in June 2020. He spent 28 years in prison. Today, Allen is the co-founder and executive director of The Prism Way, a community-based organization focused on re-entry, behavioral health, and self-development for justice-involved individuals. He also a consultant for Parole Justice Works, a member of the Transformative In-prison Workgroup’s leadership team and an advisory board member of Theatre Workers Project community-based organizations.
Jarrett H.
Jarrett H. is a survivor of the California foster care system, sentenced to life without the possibility of parole plus ten years at age 16. After experiencing unimaginable trauma and abuse, Jarrett took the life of his abuser to protect himself and his younger brother. He spent the next two decades finding forgiveness and hope, working to transform his own life by helping change the lives of other men in prison who had the opportunity to get out. After 20 years, Jarrett’s sentence was commuted by Governor Jerry Brown through the tireless work of a group of dedicated advocates. On June 18, 2019, he was released from prison by Governor Gavin Newsom. Today, Jarrett is a criminal justice and foster care reform advocate, working to stop life sentences for children, develop better rehabilitation resources for those returning to society, and put an end to the foster care-to-prison pipeline.
Elizabeth L.
Elizabeth L. was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole at 16 years old. She spent 30 years incarcerated, during which time she obtained her GED, enrolled in college classes, and worked as a youth mentor in a gang intervention program. Then, the Supreme Court ruled that juveniles could not be sentenced to LWOP under California Sentence Reform, which made Elizabeth eligible to go before the parole board. Today, Elizabeth is free and now advocates on behalf of young adults sentenced to life sentences without the possibility of parole. Using her experience to help the change the fate of others.
76% of CA voters agree.
A majority of voters agree that two people who commit the same crime should get similar sentences, but that is not how the law has typically been applied.
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52% of Life Sentences Without Parole were charged for felony murder with a special circumstance. This charge is applied when someone never intended for anyone to die, nor directly caused the death.
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Black individuals make up 5% of the state’s population, yet account for 42.7% of individuals convicted of felony murder.
Parole is not guaranteed.
In 2024, the California parole board had 8,001 parole hearing results and 85 percent were either denied, waived, stipulated, postponed, or canceled. Standards are stringent. Individuals must prove maturity, rehabilitation, genuine remorse, and that they no longer pose a danger to society. Most have to go before the parole board several times before release is granted, which is why less than 3% of people ever committed a crime once released.
Not everyone would qualify.
The most extreme cases – like mass shootings, clearly established torture, sexual violence, or the murder of law enforcement – are excluded from a second chance.
Numerous California Supreme Court Justices and Appellate Courts have questioned the constitutionality of applying a life without parole sentence on youth between the ages of 18 through 25.
They have called upon the State Legislature to correct the Youth Offender Parole law to include 18-to-25-year olds sentenced to life without possibility of parole.
People Change.
Brain science shows that judgment and impulse control aren’t fully developed until around age 25. When given the opportunity, many people grow and mature into entirely different individuals than they were at 18, 20, or 25.
Applying the law evenly is not just fair, it’s smart.
California spends more than $130,000 a year per person to keep people incarcerated long after they’ve taken accountability, shown sincere remorse and no longer pose a threat to society. That is money we could use for schools, healthcare, or keeping communities safe.
Parole eligibility laws are inconsistent, the solution already exists.
Someone under 18 can no longer be sentenced to life without parole. Those who committed a crime when they were 18–25 years old and were given a 100-year sentence are now eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 25 years.
The gap → the same age groups sentenced to life without parole are excluded completely unless a prosecutor or the governor takes a special interest in re-examining their sentence.
The Solution → Expand the existing structure that is successfully being applied to de-facto life sentences to include the small subset of individuals currently excluded.
