San Diego County and the DMV are partnering to help newly released inmates
A DMV office in Palmdale with lines of people waiting for services.
reporting from SAN DIEGO — A new partnership between San Diego County and the California Department of Motor Vehicles will help soon-to-be-released inmates get government identification.
Those who are released from jail without valid ID, officials said, may have problems accessing housing and government services or getting a job.
“We think that this is about removing barriers and helping our inmates and setting them up for success as they reenter society,” said Marc Regier, staff officer for the county’s Chief Administrative Office. “In the long term, we think it will help them break out of that cycle and reduce recidivism.”
About four months before an inmate is scheduled to be released from jail, Regier said, the Sheriff’s Department will send his or her name to the DMV to determine eligibility for an ID card. Those who are deemed eligible send an application and payment to the DMV. If all requirements are met, a license or ID card will be issued.
The inmates will pay for the cards themselves, and the county will cover some expenses through the inmate welfare fund. The state typically charges $28 for an ID, but people who meet certain income requirements pay only $8. There is no cost for people who are at least 62 years old.
To participate in the program, inmates must have had a license or ID previously and have a photo in the DMV’s archives that is no more than 10 years old. Like all applicants, they also must provide their full name, date of birth, Social Security number and proof of their legal presence in the United States.
If the pilot program goes well in San Diego, county Supervisor Greg Cox said, it may be adopted elsewhere. “We’ll be the test site to see if we can make this work,” he said.
Joshua Stewart writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.
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