Update: Eight Months into Realignment: Dramatic Reductions in California's Prisoners

• NCJ Number: 238976
• Author(s): Mike Males Ph.D.
• Date Published: June 2012
• Length: 9 pages
• Sale Source: Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice
• Publication Format: Document; Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research); Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This report presents and analyzes data on prison admissions and populations 8 months after the enactment of California legislation (Assembly Bill 109) that was intended to redirect non-serious, non-violent, non-sex offenders to supervision in the community rather than imprisonment.

Abstract

The study shows that the State prison population is declining according to expected projections. As of March 31, 2012, there had been a 41-percent reduction in new prison admissions and a decline of 28,300 in the prison population as of May 31, 2012. Within the first 8 months of realignment, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) had already progressed two-thirds of the way toward the goal of reducing inmate populations by 40,000 by 2017. Generally, counties that have historically over-used incarceration in State prison are experiencing larger reductions in their imprisoned populations and new commitments to State prison compared with other counties that have relied less on incarceration. It appears that the increase in the number of offenders supervised in the community and the consequent reduction in prison admissions has occurred specifically within the low-level offender categories specified in the realignment. Still, there are many challenges that stem from such a dramatic policy change; for example, some counties are now experiencing overcrowding in their jails and a need for more treatment programs and targeted interventions for drug offenders. In addition, the State must continue to reduce its prison population while providing in-prison services for a reduced, older, and more medically demanding population. Continuing detailed review of county practices may provide insight into prison-reduction trends and identify replicable positive county approaches to realignment. The findings suggest that a local, decentralized approach to low-level offenders is an effective alternative to State incarceration. 3 tables, 2 figures, and 6 references