The Emotional Interview Before A California Inmate Was Denied Parole

California has more than 25,000 men and women serving life sentences with the possibility of parole. Most are there for first- and second-degree murder.

For years, their chances of winning parole were slim.  But in the last five years things have changed. Record numbers of so-called lifers have been paroled.  While past governors overturned up to 95 percent of parole recommendations, Gov. Jerry Brown is allowing 75 percent of them to move forward.

James Ward, 64, stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death in 1982 and has spent half his life in prison. Earlier this year, he was found suitable for release by the State Parole Board.  The governor had until Nov. 5 to reverse Ward's parole.

In July 2014, I spoke with Ward about how he felt about the possibility of parole.

Ward's parole was one of the minority of cases to be reversed by Brown.  Inmates whose parole is reversed can appeal to the courts, which sometimes allows the parole to move forward.

Why are more lifers being paroled?

First, a 2008 state Supreme Court ruling that said “life with the possibility of parole” must really include that possibility, and the state can no longer deny parole based on the heinous nature of their crimes -- they must also show that inmates are still a risk to public safety if they’re released.

Also, the state is under a federal court order to reduce its inmate population, and lifers actually have very low rates of recidivism. That could be having a subtle impact on the Parole Board’s decisions.

Finally, Brown takes a different approach to criminal justice from his predecessors.

As a result, the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has begun pilot programs in three facilities to help lifers prepare for life on the outside. It includes classes on anger management, substance abuse help, job training and help understanding their how crimes affects victims and their families – as well as their own families, who are often torn apart when their loved one goes away to prison.