Early release of senior inmates in California is a crime

 by Susan Quinn

There’s no doubt that our society tends to neglect or ignore our senior citizens. But California is willing to give senior sex offenders a pass, because—well, you know, they’re seniors.

Where does this evil propaganda come from? Apparently, our legislators felt sorry for those poor criminals who had to serve long sentences. The original legislation passed in February 2014, and required a new parole process for inmates over 60 and who had served at least 25 years. At that time, they could be referred to the parole board. The law was changed in January 2021, where inmates only had to be 50 years old and have served 20 years in prison. The proponents of lowering of requirements will tell you that there are good reasons to release convicts early, citing overcrowding and cost to the taxpayers.

Not everyone could be released. I mean, they did have their standards:

The following individuals are excluded from the statutory Elderly Parole Program: (1) those sentenced under California’s strike laws as a second or third strike under Penal Code sections 667(b)-(i) or 1170.12; (2) those sentenced to death; (3) those sentenced to life without the possibility of parole; or (4) those convicted of first-degree murder of a peace officer or former peace officer due to performance of their official duties.

There are a number of problems with this legislation, some of which were illuminated recently. One major glaring issue is that prolific pedophiles are considered for early release. Two offenders in particular have become eligible for parole:

Authorities on Thursday, March 12, announced that a parole board had approved early release for Gregory Vogelsang, 57. He had been sentenced to 355 years to life in prison for sex crimes committed against six children between the ages of 5 and 11 between 1995 and 1997, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.

‘Psychological evaluations later documented that Vogelsang acknowledged he remains primarily sexually attracted to boys between the ages of 5 and 11,’ the agency said in a written statement. ‘He also admitted that as recently as 2020, he was still masturbating to fantasies about young boys.’

 

David Allen Funston, 64, was approved for release and was set to be released in Southern California when he was rearrested on an additional criminal charge out of Placer County on Feb. 26.

 

He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 1999 after being convicted of 16 counts of kidnapping and child molestation for using candy and toys to lure and prey on eight victims between 4 and 7 years old, according to California Department of Corrections and Sacramento Sheriff's officials.

Funston’s release was approved ‘despite admitting he still experiences pedophilic urges,’ according to a statement from Lackey’s office, which cited parole records.

What is wrong with this picture? Everything. First, pedophiles are known for recidivism, and it’s extremely rare they’re ever rehabilitated.. Second, and perhaps most importantly, why are we making exceptions for seniors?

Defenders of the law for early parole for seniors provide the excuse that over time, chances of recidivism decline. Is it worth the risk though? Do we not want to protect our children from these predators? And as stated earlier, the overall cost of incarcerating these people adds up, since they are in prison for such a long time; apparently though, people are willing to sacrifice our children to save a few bucks.

Some people are showing a bit of sanity, suggesting that the law for early release should be changed. Kamaria Henry, managing deputy district attorney for the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, insists that sex offenders should be disqualified from early parole. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer sums it up well:

‘Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature should not be able to wave a magic wand and declare that some of our state’s most horrific murderers, rapists and child molesters should be let out the front door of California’s prisons after often spending just a fraction of the sentence handed down by a Superior Court judge,’ Spitzer said.

‘I refuse to accept a reality in which the heinousness of the crime no longer matters, and the victims no longer matter.’

Backing up D.A. Spitzer are D.A. Ho and Sheriff Jim Cooper, both of Sacramento County:

‘[Vogelsang] will molest again, and yet, this parole board is letting him out. And they’re letting him out under one of the most horrible, unjust laws that we have in the state of California: elder parole,’ Ho said.

These officers of the court understand that their job is to protect the people, not the criminals; too bad Democrats do not share the same opinions.

Let these criminals have their lives ruined just as their victims’ lives were.

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/03/early_release_of_senior_inmates_in_california_is_a_crime.html