How CDCR Misleads “Lifers” and Violates Human Rights

The Hidden Truth Behind California’s Life Sentences: How CDCR Misleads “Lifers” and Violates Human Rights

By Devon T. White

In California prisons, thousands of incarcerated individuals known as “lifers” face a cruel deception — one that not only robs them of hope but also threatens the very foundation of justice. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has long misled these individuals into believing that their indeterminate life term means more prison time, rather than the opportunity for parole and supervised reintegration into society.

This misunderstanding is no accident. CDCR’s narrative obscures a critical legal truth: an indeterminate sentence is not a life without parole order by default, but rather a sentence that allows for parole consideration and eventual release under supervision. Instead, CDCR operates as if these “lifers” have no chance of freedom, effectively trapping people beyond their lawful terms. This practice is more than administrative overreach — it is a state-sanctioned criminal enterprise, deceiving the public and violating human rights on a massive scale.

The Indeterminate Term: Parole, Not Life Without Parole

Under California law, an indeterminate sentence means a person is sentenced to prison for a crime but can be considered for parole after serving the minimum term. Parole is a critical component of rehabilitation, enabling individuals to return to their communities under supervision once they have demonstrated readiness.

However, CDCR routinely blurs this line, treating indeterminate sentences as if they are equivalent to life without parole (LWOP). This misinformation causes despair among incarcerated people and their families, many of whom lose faith in the system’s fairness and the possibility of redemption.

A System Built on Deception

By perpetuating this false narrative, CDCR undermines constitutional protections and violates international human rights standards. The right to a fair and timely parole process is essential to preventing cruel and unusual punishment. Instead, CDCR’s policies amount to indefinite detention without proper legal basis — a form of false imprisonment.

Moreover, the secrecy and misinformation protect a hidden agenda: maintaining inflated prison populations and justifying continued funding and power. The system profits from keeping people confined, all while publicly claiming to uphold justice and rehabilitation.

The Human Cost

The consequences of this deception are staggering. Thousands endure decades behind bars without hope or clear understanding of their legal rights. Families are torn apart, communities suffer, and the promise of rehabilitation is betrayed.

This is not just a legal or administrative issue — it is a profound moral crisis. When the state holds people unlawfully, it undermines the very principles of democracy and justice it claims to defend.

Demand Transparency and Accountability

It is time for California to confront this hidden crisis. Transparency, independent oversight, and legal reform are urgently needed to dismantle the system of deception and restore the rights of those unjustly held.

The public deserves honesty. The incarcerated deserve justice. And California must lead the way in ending this mass violation of human rights within its own prison walls.

Devon T. White is a legal advocate and incarcerated writer committed to exposing injustices within the prison system and advancing human rights for all.