Facing the prospect that more than 40,000 state prison inmates could be released early, some Auburn residents are concerned that convicted criminals could end up in their backyards.

Harriet Salarno, Auburn resident and president and founder of Crime Victims United, has taken a vocal stance against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed plan to release 27,000 inmates to save money. She also argues that it’s unconstitutional for federal court judges to order the release of more than 40,000 inmates.

“We’re very, very concerned about these releases because they’re not ‘rehabilitated’ and where are you going to send them?” Salarno asked during an interview with the Journal Wednesday.

On Tuesday, federal judges ordered the state to release about 40,000 inmates over the next two years. In the order judges wrote that medical and mental health care for prisoners is “woefully and constitutionally inadequate.”

Matthew Cate, secrtary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, issued a statement following the ruling.

“We believe the federal courts are exceeding their authority under the Prison Litigation Reform Act and will continue to fight against a population cap or court-ordered early release,” Cate said. “We will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court any final ruling that would order the release of 40,000 inmates. The governor has proposed common-sense reforms in collaboration with public safety groups to address overcrowding without early release.”

Neil Pople, president of Placer County Young Democrats, said that with the state’s 33 prisons housing more than 170,000 inmates — twice the number it was designed to hold — he hopes the governor’s plan is successful.

“I’m hopeful that Gov. Schwarzenegger’s plan to reduce the strain on the prison system is as well-thought out as he claims,” Pople said. “The truth is, we cannot jail our way out of the problem of crime in this state, and the issue at hand is much bigger than simply releasing non-violent offenders and hoping for the best.”

Salarno said Crime Victims United has presented position papers to legislators and the governor about how to effectively spend money in the prison system.

“We have been telling the governor and the legislature about theses policies since the day the governor got elected,” Salarno said. “This is just not something that happened.”

Salarno also has a personal stake in keeping prisoners behind bars. In 1979 her daughter Catina, then 18, was murdered.

Earlier this week, she and other victim organization members gathered at the Southern California site of where Lily Burk was abducted by a state parolee deemed “non-serious” and was later slashed and beaten to death. He body was left in a downtown Los Angeles parking lot.

“This brutal, heart-breaking murder never should have happened,” Salarno said. “It appears Lily Burk died at the hands of a man who had no business on street. He was a known threat with a long history of crime, and yet the governor’s parole policies allowed him to walk free. Her death is unconscionable.”

Rick Jaramillo, a former convict who now runs a rehabilitation program in the county for other former prisoners, said he doesn’t think it’s a good environment to release given the poor economy.

Jaramillo said his own program Re-Entry, Inc., is struggling during these times. He said it’s challenging to find work for some the men he is trying to help.

“With the state financial crisis, the parole department doesn’t have any funding to put these guys up,” Jaramillo said. “If there’s not something set up for these guys, they’re going to go back to what they know.”

Jaramillo said in the right environment he believes many prisoners could be successful.

“I’m going to do my best to make sure that the men that are released to Placer County get what they need to be successful,” Jaramillo said. “But I’m only one program.”

The Journal’s Jenifer Gee can be reached at jeniferg@goldcountrymedia.com.