California's dilapidated prison health care system was recently deemed unconstitutional in a ruling requiring the reduction of the prison population. One fresh idea to cut the population gaining traction now is to grant medical paroles to a select group of severely incapacitated inmates.

Instituting a policy of medical paroles in California would be beneficial to the inmates who are now patients nearing death; beneficial to the prison population as a whole, which is so overcrowded that it suffers from one unnecessary death per week; and beneficial to the state budget. Releasing comatose or chronically ill inmates could save the state an estimated $250 million in five years. 

An incontinent parolee on a ventilator isn't a threat to public safety. Tell California's leaders to institute medical paroles now. 

Photo credit: Ken_Mayer