Spending in Correctional Officer Overtime

The Governor's budget provides a $35.7 million General Fund augmentation to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to pay for overtime costs for custody staff. The CDCR argues that its base overtime budget - which it identifi es to be $104.3 million—has not been adjusted since 2000-01, despite a 34 percent base salary increase provided to correctional officer staff over that period. The $104.3 million overtime budget identifi ed by CDCR does not include about $49 million in additional overtime funding provided since 2004-05 for various activities, such as medical guarding...

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Background. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is responsible for the incarceration and care of adult felons and non-felon narcotics addicts at 33 state prisons, as well as juvenile offenders at 6 youth correctional facilities. The CDCR also supervises parolees and wards released to the community. The department has nearly 70,000 employees. Operations Budget. The 2009-10 budget includes about $9.8 billion—almost entirely from the General Fund—to operate CDCR. Over 90 percent of these funds support adult inmates and parolees. The budget includes a $180 million unallocated reduction to the Receiver's medical services program and a $400 million unallocated reduction resulting from a Governor's veto...

Overview of Corrections Spending and Administration

Background. The CDCR is responsible for the incarceration and care of adult felons and non-felon narcotics addicts at 33 state prisons, as well as juvenile offenders at 6 youth correctional facilities. The CDCR also provides services to parolees and wards released to the community. Total Budget. The revised 2008-09 budget includes total expenditures of $11.2 billion for CDCR from all fund sources. About 90 percent of these expenditures are funded from the General Fund. The department has nearly 70,000 employees. Operations Budget. The budget includes $10.4 billion—almost entirely from the General Fund—to operate CDCR. Over 90 percent of the department's operations budget supports supervision of adult inmates and parolees, with the remaining funds supporting supervision of juvenile offenders and various administrative costs...

The 2009-10 LAO Budget Analysis Series

In November, the administration projected a $24 billion drop in revenues from the estimates in place a few months earlier when the 2008.09 Budget Act was adopted. Now, due to the worsening economy, the administration projects an additional $7 billion decline in revenues. Combined with the states chronic operating shortfall and rising expenses, the administration projects that the state would end 2009.10 with a deficit of $40 billion absent corrective action...

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.

Informational: Reentry Facilities Program Study and Acquisition

We recommend the following conference compromise:

• Approve funding of $3 million for the reentry facilities program study and acquisition activities (Assembly plus $3 million).
• Approve budget bill language (BBL) proposed by the administration allowing the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) with the approval of the Department of Finance to use funds for site investigations and real estate due diligence activities preliminary to the site selection and acquisition of interests in real property. The CDCR is also authorized, with the approval of the State Public Works Board, to enter into agreements for the acquisition of an option to purchase real property...

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.

The 2008-09 Budget: Perspectives & Issues

The purpose of this document is to assist the Legislature in setting its priorities and reflecting these priorities in the 2008-09 Budget Bill and in other legislation. It seeks to accomplish this by (1) providing perspectives on the state's fiscal condition and the budget proposed by the Governor for 2008-09 and (2) identifying some of the major issues now facing the Legislature. As such, this document is intended to complement the Analysis of the 2008-09 Budget Bill, which contains our review of the 2008-09 Governor's Budget.

Analysis: Correctional Officer Pay, Benefits, and Labor Relations

The administration proposes a 5 percent raise for correctional officers and legislation to allow it to impose a labor settlement on the officers' union, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA). We find that the officers' compensation levels are sufficient to allow the prisons to meet personnel needs at the present time, but we generally agree with other administration proposals to increase management control in prisons. We note that the dysfunctional relationship between the administration and CCPOA makes it more difficult to address the many issues facing the state's prison and personnel management systems...

Analysis of the 2006-07 Budget Bill

From the Introduction section of the Auditor's report:
The department operates 33 adult prisons, including 11 reception centers, a central medical facility, a treatment center for narcotic addicts under civil commitment, and a substance abuse facility for incarcerated felons. The CDCR also operates eight juvenile correctional facilities, including three reception centers. In addition, CDCR manages 13 Community Correctional Facilities, 44 adult and juvenile conservation camps, the Richard A. McGee Correctional Training Center, and 202 adult and juvenile parole offices.

Analysis of the 2007-08 Budget Bill

From the Introduction section of the Auditor's report:
The department operates 33 adult prisons, including 11 reception centers, a central medical facility, a treatment center for narcotic addicts under civil commitment, and a substance abuse facility for incarcerated felons. The CDCR also operates eight juvenile correctional facilities, including three reception centers. In addition, CDCR manages 13 Community Correctional Facilities, 46 adult and juvenile conservation camps, the Richard A. McGee Correctional Training Center, and 192 adult and juvenile parole offices.

Analysis of the 2004-05 Budget Bill

From the Introduction section of the Auditor's report:
The department operates 32 institutions, including a central medical facility, a treatment center for narcotic addicts under civil commitment, and a substance abuse treatment facility for incarcerated felons. A new maximum-security institution is scheduled to open in spring 2005 at Delano (Kern County). The CDC system also operates 11 reception centers to process newly committed prisoners; 12 Community Correctional Facilities; 38 fire and conservation camps; the Richard A. McGee Correctional Training Center; 126 community reentry programs; two restitution centers; a drug treatment center; 185 parole offices; and 73 outpatient psychiatric services clinics.

Analysis of the 2002-03 Budget Bill

From the Introduction section of the Auditor's report:
The department now operates 33 institutions, including a central medical facility, a treatment center for narcotic addicts under civil commitment, and a substance abuse treatment facility for incarcerated felons. The CDC system also includes 12 reception centers to process newly committed prisoners; 16 community correctional facilities; 38 fire and conservation camps; the Richard A. McGee Correctional Training Center; 34 community reentry, restitution, and drug treatment programs; 136 parole offices; and 4 outpatient psychiatric services clinics.