Has California kept the amount of ‘gate money’ it gives inmates upon release unchanged since 1973?
California's prison authorities have not increased a $200 allowance for just-released prisoners—known as “gate money”—since 1973. Adjusted for inflation, that $200 is worth about $33 today.
The allowance is only offered after spending at least six months in a state prison. People who return for shorter stays on a parole violation receive $1.10 for each day of incarceration. Parole agents also may pay the gate money in increments over the 60 days following a person's release.
Last year the Marshall Project reported that 90% of states responding to its survey have formal policies for gate money. California's $200 is the highest figure. Released prisoners in Alabama and Louisiana often leave prison with as little as $10 or $20 in their pockets, and people in states such as New Hampshire may leave with no money.
