For Immediate Release
Friday, March 20, 2020
Contact: Nancy Crowley (415) 238-5488
Email: nancy.crowley@sfgov.org
San Francisco Sheriff Paul Miyamoto statement on Superior Court order to release sentenced prisoners
Today, March 20, 2020, the Superior Court signed orders to release 26 sentenced prisoners from San Francisco county jail who have less than 60 days left to serve. The court effected these orders in the wake of the COVID-19 public health emergency to reduce the county jail population and minimize prisoner and staff exposure to the coronavirus.
Although there are no known cases of coronavirus in San Francisco County jails, the release of these incarcerated people will allow the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office to expand the social distancing protocols that have been put into place across all three jails as well as our intake and release center.
Our priority is to ensure that the people who are released and do not have coronavirus remain healthy while sheltering among the broader community. To this end, the Sheriff’s Office worked with the courts and our community partners to identify housing for releases who do not have a location to shelter in place.
Sheriff’s staff placed approximately 13 people in supportive housing and behavioral health programs. The remaining releases have identified existing housing upon reentry.