Governor’s Proposal to Complete Juvenile Justice Realignment

The Governor's Proposal:

Fully Realign Juvenile Justice to Counties. The DJJ would stop receiving new wards on January 1, 2013, though DJJ would continue to house wards admitted to its facilities prior to this date until they are released. After all wards are released from DJJ, counties would be responsible for managing all offenders adjudicated in juvenile courts.

Provide Funding to Counties. The Governor proposes to provide counties with an unspecified amount of ongoing funding beginning in 2013-14 to help them manage the increase in juvenile caseload resulting from the realignment. The Governor also proposes a one-time $10 million General Fund augmentation in 2011-12 to help counties plan for their increased caseload.

Delay Collection of Enacted Fees. Current law requires counties, as of January 1, 2012, to reimburse the state $125,000 per year for each juvenile offender committed by the courts to DJJ. The Governor has delayed the collection of these fees, and proposes to continue delaying collection for an unspecified period, perhaps indefinitely. The administration estimates that this provision would have benefited the General Fund by $60 million in 2011-12 and $125 million in 2012-13...

New Directions A blueprint for reforming California’s prison system

A blueprint for reforming California’s prison system to protect the public, reduce costs and rehabilitate inmates

California Correctional Peace Officers Association 

January 2010

CALIFORNIA’S PRISON SYSTEM is failing at every level. The cost to taxpayers and public safety for this failure is staggering. More than 170,000 inmates are now being warehoused in facilities designed to accommodate 80,000 inmates. Coupled with severe staff shortages, this overcrowding is inordinately jeopardizing the safety of inmates and correctional officers, while straining prison resources and infrastructure to the breaking point. Today, an average of nine correctional officers are assaulted every day inside California prisons, while tens of thousands of inmates are being denied the help and incentives needed to help make them productive citizens.

Inmate rehabilitation programs are failing, turning prison gates into revolving doors, giving California one of the nation’s highest recidivism rates. Thousands of inmates who have served their sentences are being released without the education, job training or basic life skills needed to function in society. With few chances to succeed, they have little choice but to return to crime.

California’s parole policies are also failing. Parole officers are overworked and overwhelmed. Parolees are receiving neither the services nor support they need to find jobs, deal with substance abuse or resolve psychological issues. This is wasting their lives, bankrupting taxpayers and endangering public safety

Following is our blueprint for fixing California’s broken prison system — a plan that offers relevant reform at multiple levels. Together, these reforms will save billions of tax dollars, protect the public and help inmates turn their lives around.

MIKE JIMENEZ, President 

California Correctional Peace Officers Association  

LAO Compromise: Proposals to Reduce Inmate and Parole Populations

Benefits of LAO Compromise:

• Would generate $398 million in General Fund savings... in the budget year. This amount would increase significantly in 2009-10, thereby providing an ongoing budget solution.
• The LAO package includes a series of proposals that are consistent with recommendations of national experts on corrections, such as earned discharge and additional credits for completing rehabilitation programs. Our approach would increase offender accountability and provide incentives for offenders to participate and complete programs designed to reduce recidivism. The LAO package reduces public safety risk compared to early release or the broad use of summary parole or direct discharge.

Prison and Parole Population Management Options

The administration proposes two policies - 20-month early release and summary parole—designed to significantly reduce the state's inmate and parolee caseloads by a total of 63,000 offenders at full implementation in 2009-10. The administration estimates its proposals would save the state $354 million in 2008-09 and $758 million in 2009-10.

Package Offer - Dated 09.12.07

The State of California (State) hereby makes the following last, best and final offer to CCPOA to settle and conclude negotiations over a successor Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The State proposes a 3-year package offer which provides fiscal certainty for the State and guarantees specific and transparent pay increases to the members of Unit 6, the State's employees.

This offer is a formal offer and supersedes all others. This is a package offer which must be accepted or  rejected in its entirety.  

September 2007 “Last Best and Final Offer”

 On September 12, 2007 the State issues its "Last Best and Final package offer. It includes some very minor changes to its previous offer of August 22, 2007. [Last, Best & Final Offer, 09/12/07]  

CCPOA’s BLUEPRINT FOR REFORM

California's prison overcrowding crisis has reached the boiling point. A system designed for approximately 80,000 inmates is now bursting with more than 170,000. Prisoners are double-and-triple bunked in many facilities. Gymnasiums and classrooms are being used for emergency housing. Staff shortages make