Community reacts to relocation of death row inmates to Chino

Death row inmates being transferred to Chino

Thousands of death row inmates are being transferred to local prisons. Nearly 40 of them will be transferred to the state prison in Chino.

CHINO, Calif. - Officials and residents in Chino and surrounding communities are angry and scared.

Death row immates are being transferred from San Quentin to the California Institute for Men, or CIM.

It's part of the state's Condemned Inmate Transfer Program, created after voters approved Proposition 66 in 2016, with the goal to integrate condemned inmates into general population prisons, so they can participate in rehabilitation and work programs, even paying restitution to victims.

"It's a recipe for disaster," says Chino's police chief, flanked by officials from neighboring cities and San Bernardino County who are sounding alarms.

CIM is one of the oldest prisons in the state, and has been the focus of multiple official reports citing its need for repairs.

While it hasn't seen an escape since 2018, the surrounding community has grown, with houses less than half a mile from the property.

So far, 39 death row prisoners have been moved to Chino, with more expected, as residents sign petitions demanding that Governor Gavin Newsom step in.

It's unlikely, as Newsom has been very vocal about his opposition to the death penalty and desire to turn San Quentin into a full-fledged rehabilitation facility, modeled after Scandinavian-style prisons, with a focus on rehabilitation, education and job training.

California Department of Corrections officials are responding to the outcry from locals with the following statement:

The Condemned Inmate Transfer Program (CITP) ensures compliance with voter-approved Proposition 66. These transfers enable death-sentenced people to participate in work programs to pay court-ordered restitution to their victims.

Transfers do not change an incarcerated person’s condemned sentence.

The safety and security of the state’s correctional institutions and surrounding communities are of paramount importance. All 19 facilities where condemned individuals are being transferred, including the California Institution for Men (CIM), have a secure facility perimeter with a lethal electrified fence. All individuals who transfer will be identified as close custody for a minimum of five years after the transfer. This means the incarcerated individuals will only participate in work and programming when subject to direct supervision.

While the 2018 facility walkaway, which happened in a different area of the prison without a lethal electrified fence is troubling, CDCR can assure the public that these individuals will never be housed in that area of the facility.

Since 2008, CDCR has completed a variety of repair and improvement projects at CIM and is currently addressing other facility improvements. These CIM projects include roof repairs and replacements; improvements to water and wastewater systems; upgrades to electrical systems, including security lighting; modifications to address Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility; and health care improvements.