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Article 2.5. Credit On Term Of Imprisonment of California Penal Code >> Title 1. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 7. >> Article 2.5.

(a) The Department of Corrections shall inform every prisoner sentenced under Section 1170, for a crime committed prior to January 1, 1983, not later than 14 days after reception in prison, of all applicable prison rules and regulations including the possibility of receiving a one-third reduction of the sentence for good behavior and participation. Within 14 days of the prisoner's arrival at the institution to which the prisoner is ultimately assigned by the Department of Corrections, the prisoner shall be informed of the range of programs offered by that institution and their availability at that institution. The prisoner's central file shall reflect compliance with the provisions of this section not later than 90 days after reception in prison.
  (b) The department shall, within 90 days after July 1, 1977, inform every prisoner who committed a felony before July 1, 1977, and who would have been sentenced under Section 1170 if the felony had been committed after July 1, 1977, of all applicable prison rules and regulations, which have not previously been provided, of the range of programs offered and their availability, and the possibility of receiving a reduction for good behavior and participation of one-third of the prisoner's remaining sentence after July 1, 1977. The prisoner's central file shall reflect compliance with the provisions of this section.
(a) In any case in which a prisoner was sentenced to the state prison pursuant to Section 1170, or if he committed a felony before July 1, 1977, and he would have been sentenced under Section 1170 if the felony had been committed after July 1, 1977, the Department of Corrections shall have the authority to reduce the term prescribed under such section by one-third for good behavior and participation consistent with subdivision (d) of Section 1170.2. A document shall be signed by a prison official and given to the prisoner, at the time of compliance with Section 2930, outlining the conditions which the prisoner shall meet to receive the credit. The conditions specified in such document may be modified upon any of the following:
  (1) Mutual consent of the prisoner and the Department of Corrections.
  (2) The transfer of the prisoner from one institution to another.
  (3) The department's determination of the prisoner's lack of adaptability or success in a specific program or assignment. In such case the prisoner shall be entitled to a hearing regarding the department's decision.
  (4) A change in custodial status.
  (b) Total possible good behavior and participation credit shall result in a four-month reduction for each eight months served in prison or in a reduction based on this ratio for any lesser period of time. Three months of this four-month reduction, or a reduction based on this ratio for any lesser period, shall be based upon forbearance from any act for which the prisoner could be prosecuted in a court of law, either as a misdemeanor or a felony, or any act of misconduct described as a serious disciplinary infraction by the Department of Corrections.
  (c) One month of this four-month reduction, or a reduction based on this ratio for a lesser period, shall be based solely upon participation in work, educational, vocational, therapeutic or other prison activities. Failure to succeed after demonstrating a reasonable effort in the specified activity shall not result in loss of participation credit. Failure to participate in the specified activities can result in a maximum loss of credit of 30 days for each failure to participate. However, those confined for other than behavior problems shall be given specified activities commensurate with the custodial status.
  (d) This section shall not apply to any person whose crime was committed on or after January 1, 1983.
(a) (1) For any time credit accumulated pursuant to Section 2931 or 2933, not more than 360 days of credit may be denied or lost for a single act of murder, attempted murder, solicitation of murder, manslaughter, rape, sodomy, or oral copulation accomplished against the victim's will, attempted rape, attempted sodomy, or attempted oral copulation accomplished against the victim's will, assault or battery causing serious bodily injury, assault with a deadly weapon or caustic substance, taking of a hostage, escape with force or violence, or possession or manufacture of a deadly weapon or explosive device, whether or not prosecution is undertaken for purposes of this paragraph. Solicitation of murder shall be proved by the testimony of two witnesses, or of one witness and corroborating circumstances.
  (2) Not more than 180 days of credit may be denied or lost for a single act of misconduct, except as specified in paragraph (1), which could be prosecuted as a felony whether or not prosecution is undertaken.
  (3) Not more than 90 days of credit may be denied or lost for a single act of misconduct which could be prosecuted as a misdemeanor, whether or not prosecution is undertaken.
  (4) Not more than 30 days of credit may be denied or lost for a single act of misconduct defined by regulation as a serious disciplinary offense by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Any person confined due to a change in custodial classification following the commission of any serious disciplinary infraction shall, in addition to any loss of time credits, be ineligible to receive participation or worktime credit for a period not to exceed the number of days of credit which have been lost for the act of misconduct or 180 days, whichever is less. Any person confined in a secure housing unit for having committed any misconduct specified in paragraph (1) in which great bodily injury is inflicted upon a nonprisoner shall, in addition to any loss of time credits, be ineligible to receive participation or worktime credit for a period not to exceed the number of days of credit which have been lost for that act of misconduct. In unusual cases, an inmate may be denied the opportunity to participate in a credit qualifying assignment for up to six months beyond the period specified in this subdivision if the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation finds, after a hearing, that no credit qualifying program may be assigned to the inmate without creating a substantial risk of physical harm to staff or other inmates. At the end of the six-month period and of successive six-month periods, the denial of the opportunity to participate in a credit qualifying assignment may be renewed upon a hearing and finding by the director.
  (5) The prisoner may appeal the decision through the department's review procedure, which shall include a review by an individual independent of the institution who has supervisorial authority over the institution.
  (b) For any credit accumulated pursuant to Section 2931, not more than 30 days of participation credit may be denied or lost for a single failure or refusal to participate. Any act of misconduct described by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation as a serious disciplinary infraction if committed while participating in work, educational, vocational, therapeutic, or other prison activity shall be deemed a failure to participate.
  (c) Any procedure not provided for by this section, but necessary to carry out the purposes of this section, shall be those procedures provided for by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for serious disciplinary infractions if those procedures are not in conflict with this section.
  (1) (A) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall, using reasonable diligence to investigate, provide written notice to the prisoner. The written notice shall be given within 15 days after the discovery of information leading to charges that may result in a possible denial of credit, except that if the prisoner has escaped, the notice shall be given within 15 days of the prisoner's return to the custody of the secretary. The written notice shall include the specific charge, the date, the time, the place that the alleged misbehavior took place, the evidence relied upon, a written explanation of the procedures that will be employed at the proceedings and the prisoner's rights at the hearing. The hearing shall be conducted by an individual who shall be independent of the case and shall take place within 30 days of the written notice.
  (B) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation may delay written notice beyond 15 days when all of the following factors are true:
  (i) An act of misconduct is involved which could be prosecuted as murder, attempted murder, or assault on a prison employee, whether or not prosecution is undertaken.
  (ii) Further investigation is being undertaken for the purpose of identifying other prisoners involved in the misconduct.
  (iii) Within 15 days after the discovery of information leading to charges that may result in a possible denial of credit, the investigating officer makes a written request to delay notifying that prisoner and states the reasons for the delay.
  (iv) The warden of the institution approves of the delay in writing. The period of delay under this paragraph shall not exceed 30 days. The prisoner's hearing shall take place within 30 days of the written notice.
  (2) The prisoner may elect to be assigned an employee to assist in the investigation, preparation, or presentation of a defense at the disciplinary hearing if it is determined by the department that either of the following circumstances exist:
  (A) The prisoner is illiterate.
  (B) The complexity of the issues or the prisoner's confinement status makes it unlikely that the prisoner can collect and present the evidence necessary for an adequate comprehension of the case.
  (3) The prisoner may request witnesses to attend the hearing and they shall be called unless the person conducting the hearing has specific reasons to deny this request. The specific reasons shall be set forth in writing and a copy of the document shall be presented to the prisoner.
  (4) The prisoner has the right, under the direction of the person conducting the hearing, to question all witnesses.
  (5) At the conclusion of the hearing the charge shall be dismissed if the facts do not support the charge, or the prisoner may be found guilty on the basis of a preponderance of the evidence.
  (d) If found guilty the prisoner shall be advised in writing of the guilty finding and the specific evidence relied upon to reach this conclusion and the amount of time-credit loss. The prisoner may appeal the decision through the department's review procedure, and may, upon final notification of appeal denial, within 15 days of the notification demand review of the department's denial of credit to the Board of Parole Hearings, and the board may affirm, reverse, or modify the department's decision or grant a hearing before the board at which hearing the prisoner shall have the rights specified in Section 3041.5.
  (e) Each prisoner subject to Section 2931 shall be notified of the total amount of good behavior and participation credit which may be credited pursuant to Section 2931, and his or her anticipated time-credit release date. The prisoner shall be notified of any change in the anticipated release date due to denial or loss of credits, award of worktime credit, under Section 2933, or the restoration of any credits previously forfeited.
  (f) (1) If the conduct the prisoner is charged with also constitutes a crime, the department may refer the case to criminal authorities for possible prosecution. The department shall notify the prisoner, who may request postponement of the disciplinary proceedings pending the referral.
  (2) The prisoner may revoke his or her request for postponement of the disciplinary proceedings up until the filing of the accusatory pleading. In the event of the revocation of the request for postponement of the proceeding, the department shall hold the hearing within 30 days of the revocation.
  (3) Notwithstanding the notification requirements in this paragraph and subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), in the event the case is referred to criminal authorities for prosecution and the authority requests that the prisoner not be notified so as to protect the confidentiality of its investigation, no notice to the prisoner shall be required until an accusatory pleading is filed with the court, or the authority notifies the warden, in writing, that it will not prosecute or it authorizes the notification of the prisoner. The notice exceptions provided for in this paragraph shall only apply if the criminal authority requests of the warden, in writing, and within the 15 days provided in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), that the prisoner not be notified. Any period of delay of notice to the prisoner shall not exceed 30 days beyond the 15 days referred to in subdivision (c). In the event that no prosecution is undertaken, the procedures in subdivision (c) shall apply, and the time periods set forth in that subdivision shall commence to run from the date the warden is notified in writing of the decision not to prosecute. In the event the authority either cancels its requests that the prisoner not be notified before it makes a decision on prosecution or files an accusatory pleading, the provisions of this paragraph shall apply as if no request had been received, beginning from the date of the cancellation or filing.
  (4) In the case where the prisoner is prosecuted by the district attorney, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall not deny time credit where the prisoner is found not guilty and may deny credit if the prisoner is found guilty, in which case the procedures in subdivision (c) shall not apply.
  (g) If time credit denial proceedings or criminal prosecution prohibit the release of a prisoner who would have otherwise been released, and the prisoner is found not guilty of the alleged misconduct, the amount of time spent incarcerated, in excess of what the period of incarceration would have been absent the alleged misbehavior, shall be deducted from the prisoner's parole period.
  (h) Nothing in the amendments to this section made at the 1981-82 Regular Session of the Legislature shall affect the granting or revocation of credits attributable to that portion of the prisoner's sentence served prior to January 1, 1983.
A prisoner who is found by a trial court to be a vexatious litigant as defined by Section 391 of the Code of Civil Procedure, shall be denied or lose 30 days of work time credit awarded under Section 2933.
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that persons convicted of a crime and sentenced to the state prison under Section 1170 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 pursuant to this section and Section 2933.05.
  (b) For every six months of continuous incarceration, a prisoner shall be awarded credit reductions from his or her term of confinement of six months. A lesser amount of credit based on this ratio shall be awarded for any lesser period of continuous incarceration. Credit should be awarded pursuant to regulations adopted by the secretary. Prisoners who are denied the opportunity to earn credits pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 2932 shall be awarded no credit reduction pursuant to this section. Under no circumstances shall any prisoner receive more than six months' credit reduction for any six-month period under this section.
  (c) Credit is a privilege, not a right. Credit must be earned and may be forfeited pursuant to the provisions of Section 2932. Except as provided in subdivision (a) of Section 2932, every eligible prisoner shall have a reasonable opportunity to participate.
  (d) Under regulations adopted by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which shall require a period of not more than one year free of disciplinary infractions, credit which has been previously forfeited may be restored by the secretary. The regulations shall provide for separate classifications of serious disciplinary infractions as they relate to restoration of credits, the time period required before forfeited credits or a portion thereof may be restored, and the percentage of forfeited credits that may be restored for these time periods. For credits forfeited as specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 2932, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation may provide that up to 180 days of lost credit shall not be restored and up to 90 days of credit shall not be restored for a forfeiture resulting from conspiracy or attempts to commit one of those acts. No credits may be restored if they were forfeited for a serious disciplinary infraction in which the victim died or was permanently disabled. Upon application of the prisoner and following completion of the required time period free of disciplinary offenses, forfeited credits eligible for restoration under the regulations for disciplinary offenses other than serious disciplinary infractions punishable by a credit loss of more than 90 days shall be restored unless, at a hearing, it is found that the prisoner refused to accept or failed to perform in a credit qualifying assignment, or extraordinary circumstances are present that require that credits not be restored. "Extraordinary circumstances" shall be defined in the regulations adopted by the secretary. However, in any case in which credit was forfeited for a serious disciplinary infraction punishable by a credit loss of more than 90 days, restoration of credit shall be at the discretion of the secretary. The prisoner may appeal the finding through the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's review procedure, which shall include a review by an individual independent of the institution who has supervisorial authority over the institution.
  (e) The provisions of subdivision (d) shall also apply in cases of credit forfeited under Section 2931 for offenses and serious disciplinary infractions occurring on or after January 1, 1983.
(a) In addition to any credit awarded pursuant to Section 2933, the department may also award a prisoner program credit reductions from his or her term of confinement as provided in this section. Within 90 days of the enactment of this section, the secretary shall promulgate regulations that provide for credit reductions for inmates who successfully complete specific program performance objectives for approved rehabilitative programming ranging from credit reduction of not less than one week to credit reduction of no more than six weeks for each performance milestone. Regulations promulgated pursuant to this subdivision shall specify the credit reductions applicable to distinct objectives in a schedule of graduated program performance objectives concluding with the successful completion of an in-prison rehabilitation program. Commencing upon the promulgation of those regulations, the department shall thereafter calculate and award credit reductions authorized by this section. However, a prisoner may not have his or her term of imprisonment reduced more than six weeks for credits awarded pursuant to this section during any 12-month period of continuous confinement.
  (b) Program credit is a privilege, not a right. Prisoners shall have a reasonable opportunity to participate in program credit qualifying assignments in a manner consistent with institutional security and available resources. Assignments made to program credit qualifying programs shall be made in accordance with the prisoner's case plan, when available.
  (c) As used in this section, "approved rehabilitation programming" shall include, but is not limited to, academic programs, vocational programs, vocational training, and core programs such as anger management and social life skills, and substance abuse programs.
  (d) Credits awarded pursuant to this section may be forfeited pursuant to the provisions of Section 2932. Inmates shall not be eligible for program credits that result in an inmate overdue for release.
  (e) The following prisoners shall not be eligible for program credits pursuant to this section:
  (1) Any person serving a term of imprisonment for an offense specified in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5.
  (2) Any person sentenced to state prison pursuant to Section 1170.12 or subdivisions (b) to (i), inclusive, of Section 667.
  (3) Any person required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 290) of Title 9 of Part 1.
  (4) Any person serving a term of imprisonment as a result of a violation of parole without a new term.
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, any person who is convicted of a felony offense listed in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 shall accrue no more than 15 percent of worktime credit, as defined in Section 2933.
  (b) The 15-percent limitation provided in subdivision (a) shall apply whether the defendant is sentenced under Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 1170) of Title 7 of Part 2 or sentenced under some other law. However, nothing in subdivision (a) shall affect the requirement of any statute that the defendant serve a specified period of time prior to minimum parole eligibility, nor shall any offender otherwise statutorily ineligible for credit be eligible for credit pursuant to this section.
  (c) Notwithstanding Section 4019 or any other provision of law, the maximum credit that may be earned against a period of confinement in, or commitment to, a county jail, industrial farm, or road camp, or a city jail, industrial farm, or road camp, following arrest and prior to placement in the custody of the Director of Corrections, shall not exceed 15 percent of the actual period of confinement for any person specified in subdivision (a).
  (d) This section shall only apply to offenses listed in subdivision (a) that are committed on or after the date on which this section becomes operative.
(a) Notwithstanding Section 2933.1 or any other law, any person who is convicted of murder, as defined in Section 187, shall not accrue any credit, as specified in Section 2933 or Section 2933.05.
  (b) The limitation provided in subdivision (a) shall apply whether the defendant is sentenced under Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 1170) of Title 7 of Part 2 or sentenced under some other law.
  (c) Notwithstanding Section 4019 or any other provision of law, no credit pursuant to Section 4019 may be earned against a period of confinement in, or commitment to, a county jail, industrial farm, or road camp, or a city jail, industrial farm, or road camp, following arrest for any person specified in subdivision (a).
  (d) This section shall only apply to murder that is committed on or after the date on which this section becomes operative.
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, any inmate assigned to a conservation camp by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, who is eligible to earn one day of credit for every one day of incarceration pursuant to Section 2933 shall instead earn two days of credit for every one day of service. The enhanced credit authorized pursuant to this subdivision shall only apply to those prisoners eligible after January 1, 2003.
  (b) Notwithstanding any other law, any inmate who has completed training for assignment to a conservation camp or to a correctional institution as an inmate firefighter or who is assigned to a correctional institution as an inmate firefighter and who is eligible to earn one day of credit for every one day of incarceration pursuant to Section 2933 shall instead earn two days of credit for every one day served in that assignment or after completing that training.
  (c) In addition to credits granted pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b), inmates who have successfully completed training for firefighter assignments shall receive a credit reduction from his or her term of confinement pursuant to regulations adopted by the secretary.
  (d) The credits authorized in subdivisions (b) and (c) shall only apply to inmates who are eligible after July 1, 2009.
(a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, every person who is convicted of any felony offense listed in paragraph (2), and who previously has been convicted two or more times, on charges separately brought and tried, and who previously has served two or more separate prior prison terms, as defined in subdivision (g) of Section 667.5, of any offense or offenses listed in paragraph (2), shall be ineligible to earn credit on his or her term of imprisonment pursuant to this article.
  (2) As used in this subdivision, "felony offense" includes any of the following:
  (A) Murder, as defined in Sections 187 and 189.
  (B) Voluntary manslaughter, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 192.
  (C) Mayhem as defined in Section 203.
  (D) Aggravated mayhem, as defined in Section 205.
  (E) Kidnapping, as defined in Section 207, 209, or 209.5.
  (F) Assault with vitriol, corrosive acid, or caustic chemical of any nature, as described in Section 244.
  (G) Rape, as defined in paragraph (2) or (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 261 or paragraph (1) or (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 262.
  (H) Sodomy by means of force, violence, duress, menace or fear of immediate and unlawful bodily injury on the victim or another person, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 286.
  (I) Sodomy while voluntarily acting in concert, as described in subdivision (d) of Section 286.
  (J) Lewd or lascivious acts on a child under the age of 14 years, as described in subdivision (b) of Section 288.
  (K) Oral copulation by means of force, violence, duress, menace, or fear of immediate and unlawful bodily injury on the victim or another person, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 288a.
  (L) Continuous sexual abuse of a child, as described in Section 288.5.
  (M) Sexual penetration, as described in subdivision (a) of Section 289.
  (N) Exploding a destructive device or explosive with intent to injure, as described in Section 18740, with intent to murder, as described in Section 18745, or resulting in great bodily injury or mayhem, as described in Section 18750.
  (O) Any felony in which the defendant personally inflicted great bodily injury, as provided in Section 12022.53 or 12022.7.
  (b) A prior conviction of an offense listed in subdivision (a) shall include a conviction in another jurisdiction for an offense which includes all of the elements of the particular felony as defined under California law.
  (c) This section shall apply whenever the present felony is committed on or after the effective date of this section, regardless of the date of commission of the prior offense or offenses resulting in credit-earning ineligibility.
  (d) This section shall be in addition to, and shall not preclude the imposition of, any applicable sentence enhancement terms, or probation ineligibility and habitual offender provisions authorized under any other section.
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a person who is placed in a Security Housing Unit, Psychiatric Services Unit, Behavioral Management Unit, or an Administrative Segregation Unit for misconduct described in subdivision (b) or upon validation as a prison gang member or associate is ineligible to earn credits pursuant to Section 2933 or 2933.05 during the time he or she is in the Security Housing Unit, Psychiatric Services Unit, Behavioral Management Unit, or the Administrative Segregation Unit for that misconduct.
  (b) This section applies to the following offenses:
  (1) Murder, attempted murder, and solicitation of murder. For purposes of this paragraph, solicitation of murder shall be proven by the testimony of two witnesses, or of one witness and corroborating circumstances.
  (2) Manslaughter.
  (3) Assault or battery causing serious bodily injury.
  (4) Assault or battery on a peace officer or other nonprisoner which results in physical injury.
  (5) Assault with a deadly weapon or caustic substance.
  (6) Rape, attempted rape, sodomy, attempted sodomy, oral copulation, or attempted oral copulation accomplished against the victim's will.
  (7) Taking a hostage.
  (8) Escape or attempted escape with force or violence.
  (9) Escape from any departmental prison or institution other than a camp or reentry facility.
  (10) Possession or manufacture of a deadly weapon or explosive device.
  (11) Arson involving damage to a structure.
  (12) Possession of flammable, explosive material with intent to burn any structure or property.
  (13) Solicitation of assault with a deadly weapon or assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury, arson, or a forcible sex act.
  (14) Intentional destruction of state property in excess of four hundred dollars ($400) during a riot or disturbance.
  (c) This section does not apply if the administrative finding of the misconduct is overturned or if the person is criminally prosecuted for the misconduct and is found not guilty.
Under rules prescribed by the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, a prisoner subject to the provisions of Section 2931 may waive the right to receive time credits as provided in Section 2931 and be subject to the provisions of Section 2933. In order to exercise a waiver under this section, a prisoner must apply in writing to the Department of Corrections. A prisoner exercising a waiver under this section shall retain only that portion of good behavior and participation credits, which have not been forfeited pursuant to Section 2932, attributable to the portion of the sentence served by the prisoner prior to the effective date of the waiver. A waiver under this section shall, if accepted by the department, become effective at a time to be determined by the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Under the guidelines prescribed by the rules and regulations of the director, the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation may grant up to 12 additional months of reduction of the sentence to a prisoner who has performed a heroic act in a life-threatening situation, or who has provided exceptional assistance in maintaining the safety and security of a prison.