California Governor, Gavin Newsom, announced today that the state would be offering assistance to criminals wishing to get a change of venue in pending trials. The announcement comes on the heels of a report showing that California has the shortest sentencing record in the country. This is especially true in cases of child sex offenses where the typical sentence is under 2 years. By comparison, the national average for similar offences is 5-12 years.
Governor Newsom’s office posted the following press release on its website: “Today we usher in a new era of Tribunal Tourism as a new pillar of the state’s tourism industry. This effort is destined to bolster the already booming rebound that our tourism sector is experiencing. Beginning today, California will provide up to $50,000 in legal and transportation assistance to criminals wishing to have their case tried in California instead of their home state.” The post went on to further specify the target audience for the benefit package. “California takes pride in its extremely low incarceration rates and sentence durations. We are especially pleased that these low rates are disproportionately applied to Minor Attracted People (MAP). The MAP community is among the most unfairly treated population in the criminal justice system. It is with pleasure that we offer this benefit to these marginalized criminals.”