Inmates: incentive credits.

Existing law provides that it is the intent of the Legislature that persons sentenced to prison for a determinate sentence serve the entire sentence imposed by the court, except for a reduction in the time served in the custody of the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, as specified. Existing law provides that except regarding certain prisoners who are limited to 15% credit against sentenced time, for every 6 months of continuous incarceration, a prisoner shall be awarded credit reductions from his or her term of confinement of 6 months. Existing law provides that prisoners who are denied the opportunity to earn credits for the commission of specified crimes or misconduct shall be awarded no credit reduction pursuant to these provisions. The bill would instead provide that, except for those prisoners subject to the 15% limitation on credits noted above, for every 6 months of full-time performance in a credit qualifying program, a prisoner shall be awarded credit reductions of 6 months. The bill would provide that prisoners who refuse to accept a full-time credit qualifying assignment shall be awarded no credit reduction. The bill would provide for the earning of credit reductions for prisoners who voluntarily accept a half-time credit qualifying assignment and prisoners who are willing to participate in a full-time credit qualifying assignment but who are either not assigned to a full-time assignment or are assigned to a program for less than full-time. Existing law places a limit on the number of days of lost credit that may be restored for the commission or attempted commission of certain crimes by prisoners. This bill would provide that in order for the limitation on the restoration of credits to apply, the crime committed or attempted must be a felony. The bill would make other conforming changes.