Ventura County – Few California prison inmates serve the total time of their sentence behind bars. Most are released after a specified minimum percentage of time in custody, and with the advent of the state’s “prison realignment” ordered by the U.S. Supreme Court, increasing numbers of those convicted of non-violent crimes are being granted ever-earlier release dates.
But walking outside those prison gates in no way is an implication of “freedom” as enjoyed by most law-abiding citizens. Release from physical custody on terms of probation or parole is in itself a form of managed incarceration that requires local law enforcement agencies to strictly supervise those former prison inmates.
Pursuant to those protocols and the need for enforcement of probation and parole terms, on August 16th the Ventura Sheriff’s Department, working in concert with the City of Thousand Oaks Police Special Enforcement Unit, the City of Camarillo Special enforcement Detail, the Sheriff’s Gang Unit, Tactical Response Team and Custody Division, engaged in what VCSD spokesman Sgt. Dan Hawes described as “a proactive approach” in the form of a massive parole sweep throughout the Thousand Oaks area.
Employing the resources of no less than 50 deputies focused primarily upon “gang members, drug users, and thieves”, the operation was described by Hawes as “funded by a California State grant for supervising post-release and serious habitual offenders” who are out on the street as a result of the ongoing prison realignment in the state. The action began early that Saturday morning, with 75 residences targeted for the 7:00 a.m. wake-up call from deputies arriving unannounced on doorsteps.
Pursuant to that effort, 22 individual arrests were made on charges of possession of methamphetamine, being under the influence of controlled substances, possession of drug paraphernalia, outstanding warrants, providing false information to peace officers, resisting arrest, possession of blank prescription notes, possession of stolen property, trespassing, and assorted probation violations.
With nearly two dozen individuals headed back to their life behind bars, the dream of genuine “prison realignment” may be just that.
Read More:
VCSTAR: 22 arrested in Conejo Valley probation, parole searches
SFV Media: Probation-parole sweep ends in 22 arrests
