The Basics:

Under this new clemency system, a new State of California clemency board shall be created to handle all requests for clemency, commutations, and compassionate prisoner releases. At least one “Mini” clemency board shall be established in every one of the 58 counties of California.

Five citizens randomly selected from a county on a rolling bases will rule on clemency requests from said county or appeals from another county. These board members will be selected by using voter or jury pool information of county residence. And they shall rule on inmate clemency requests sent to prison from their county (Except for appeal cases).

Citizens who agree to sit on a clemency board for up to one week shall receive compensation of $100.00 a day for the week’s service within 30 days of the end of service. Service is not mandatory. All board members must be prescreened before sitting on any panel. While in session, members may review multiple cases in their week’s service.

Anyone can petition the State board on behalf of an inmate with approval from an inmate. The citizens of the California Clemency Board will have the power to release any qualified prisoner or reduce his or her sentence (once every seven years per individual). Members of the board can use their common sense in viewing respected investigative journalism such as “60 Minutes”, “20/20”, “Dateline” etc. in granting clemency to an inmate. Of course with the assistance of DNA technology many falsely convicted individuals can gain release much quicker than the years of waiting on an appeals judge to grant to hear their case.

Members of the board can choose to take no action if they feel the prisoner was treated in a satisfactory manner by the prison system or judicial process.

An inmate can apply for a one-time appeal if he/she has been denied release, commutation or compassion by his or her county clemency board. However, the appeal will take place in another county; also randomly selected, from any one of the other counties of California.

The California Clemency Board will have the power to grant clemency for a number of reasons, including the granting of a State of California pardon to former convicted felons who have turned into pillars of society, which includes no criminal activity in any state of the United States for 20 consecutive years.

Release of nonviolent prisoners under established guidelines, when prison overcrowding is at unsafe levels will prevent prison overcrowding permanently. Releases due to overcrowding shall be determined by review of prisoner Central file “C-file” along with prison administration input.

Any county who receives a California Clemency Board released prisoner shall also receive from the prison budget the sum of $8,000.00 per release for rehabilitation/reentry services. The county must have State approved rehabilitation services in place to receive these prison budget funds. And the released inmate must register with the county rehabilitation agency within 30 days of release to be eligible for this State/County assistance.

The first administrator (Secretary of Clemency) appointed shall be its inventor, Allen Jones, at no pay. Thereafter, the governor will retain power to appoint due to any vacancy.

THE CITIZENS OF THE CALIFORNIA CLEMENCY BOARD, AND NOT THE ELECTED ADMINISTRATOR WILL HAVE THE FINAL SAY ON CLEMENCY. 

Special note:

California Clemency Boards is not a get out of jail free card for those bent on committing crime. This new clemency process has many safeguards to prevent abuse. A document called, “How it Works” details a more complete list of how California Clemency works.

California Clemency Boards can be modified for any state and even federal use.