California Proposition 57 & Good Conduct Prison Credits: The Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act effective May 1, 2018 has a general rule that all inmates, unless otherwise precluded, shall be eligible to receive conduct credits. I have summarized most of the more common credits necessary for your immediate knowledge but it’s definitely not exhaustive nor guaranteed perfectly accurate. In order to have this information serve as legal advice, please contact me for a private and confidential consultation.
No good conduct credits for inmates with death penalty or LWOP (life without parole sentences.
*20% good conduct credit (1 day for every 4 days served) for inmates sentenced for violent felonies.
*33% good conduct credit (1 day for every 2 days served) for inmates sentenced under “3 strikes” law.
*50% Good conduct credit (1 day for each day served): for inmates sentenced to certain crimes, violent crime inmates who qualify for fire camp and violent crime inmates who are assigned to fire camp.
*66.6% good conduct credit (2 days for each day served): 50% good conduct inmates who are housed in minimum A/B custody, non-violent crime inmates who qualify for fire camp, and non-violent crime inmates who are assigned to fire camp.
Milestone Completion Credit
All inmate who are eligible for good conduct credits can receive this credit.
*Awarded for achieving an objective goal, such as completion of numerous programs listed in section the section applicable (contact attorney for this).
*Inmate can earn not less than one week, but no more than 12 weeks in calendar year (an additional 25% conduct credit for that year); or
*3 weeks credit for every 3 months in Milestone completion course.
Rehabilitative Achievement Credit
All inmates who are eligible for good conduct credits can receive this credit.
*Satisfactory participation in approved group or individual activities which promote educational, behavioral or rehabilitative development of the inmate.
*1 week for every 52 hours of participation with maximum of 4 weeks in 12 months.
Educational Merit Credit
All inmates who are eligible for good conduct credits can receive this credit:
>High School Diploma or GED Certificate = 90 days credit
>Drug/Alcohol Counselor Certificate = 180 days credit
>AA College Degree = 180 days credit
>BA College Degree = 180 days credit
>Post Bachelors or Graduate Degrees = 180 days credit
*Inmate can stack these to get all of the credit over time.
Extraordinary Conduct Credit
All Inmates who are eligible for good conduct credits can receive this credit.
*Up to 12 months credit may be awarded for: 1) heroic act in a life-threatening situation, or 2) exceptional assistance in maintaining the safety and security of the prison.
Parole Consideration for Determinately Sentenced Non-Violent Inmate
*Inmate must qualify as a “non-violent” offender (see attorney for requirement).
*Inmate may qualify for non-violent parole eligible date which arises when inmate has served the “full” term (actual custody, not conduct credits) of inmate’s sentence on his/her “primary offense” (low, mid, high term, not including enhancements, priors, etc.)
*If denied, inmate can qualify for another non-violent parole eligible date 12 months later
My posts/blogs are to be taken for academic purposes only and NOT LEGAL ADVICE. Nothing on my blogs should lead you to believe there is an attorney-client relationship, nor that I am giving legal advice. For more information about California Proposition 57 & Good Conduct Prison Credits, please call my office at (714) 321-9999 for a free consultation to discuss your specific matter where I could then give proper legal advice.