Facing fiscal disaster as well as a court-order to reduce prison overcrowding, the California Legislature passed the Non-Revocable Parole Act. Effective Jan 25, 2010, prisoner releases have recently begun under the less stringent parole policy.
New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/24/us/24calprisons.html?scp=1&sq=driven%20to%20financial%20brink&st=cse
