Baja California Governor Jaime Bonilla has forgiven 42 prisoners through a special program that seeks to give criminals a second chance.

The program complies with a state decree issued last week to benefit prisoners from all over the state.

Gov. Bonilla said the program was launched after family members of prisoners had requested help from the state to release individuals convicted for misdemeanors.

State Secretary of Government Amador Rodriguez said the program has been planned for months along with the public defender’s office.

Beneficiaries had been convicted of minor crimes and had not been in recidivism.

Sec. Rodriguez added that some other legal mechanisms had been addressed to benefit prisoners, but the one launched has been more appropriate.

Benefitted prisoners had shown good behavior while in prison and had been registered in national correctional programs.

“We are witnesses of an act of justice of men and women who were given the opportunity to return to their families and reintegration,” State Director of the Public Defender’s office Clara Esthela Delgado said.