Former Sacramento County Sheriff Speaks Out Against Prisoners' Release

FOLSOM PRISON (CBS13) — By the end of the year, 9,000 state prisoners could be walking the streets after three federal judges ordered Gov. Jerry Brown to immediately release them.

Former Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness joins many sheriffs statewide who believe the release of thousands of inmates is not the solution to reducing prison population.

"Thousands of them will be out on the streets, so I think the public needs to be aware that this could have a profound adverse impact on your safety, your quality of life," he said.

On Thursday, three federal judges ordered Gov. Brown to release more than 9,000 inmates after his "failure to follow the clear terms" of a previous court order. And "Failure to take such steps or to report on such steps every two weeks shall constitute an act of contempt" of the court.

"I think they are people right now in custody that have not posed a threat to your safety ... because they're locked up," McGinness said.

But the former sheriff, who also works as a consultant for the Peace Officer Association, says the public must be aware that inmates who will be released are considered low-risk because of their last crime, not their entire criminal history.

Earlier this year, investigators arrested Jerome Deavila for allegedly raping and murdering his grandmother. His criminal history is long and includes burglary and domestic violence. But he was let out because his last crime was running from parole. Days later his grandmother was dead.