Prison System
January 12, 2008
Secretary James Tilton Release Statement on Proposed Budget
"Governor Schwarzenegger has declared a fiscal emergency, and directed all state agencies to cut ten percent from their budgets. All corrections' spending must be 'on the table' in order to accomplish a ten percent reduction. Over 70 percent of this agency's budget costs come from the salaries of over 60,000 employees, most of whom are custody staff that supervise inmates and parolees. You can't achieve ten percent cuts to Corrections' budget unless you reduce population, followed by a corresponding drop in staff…"
LINK - CDCR.CA.gov
January 3, 2008
Bowen’s Initiatives to Change Sentencing, Parole, Probation
Secty. of State Debra Bowen announces initiatives and dates for circulation.
Contact: Kate Folmar 916 653 6575.
NONVIOLENT OFFENDERS. SENTENCING, PAROLE AND REHABILITATION. STATUTE.
Requires State to expand and increase funding and oversight for individualized treatment and rehabilitation programs for nonviolent drug offenders and parolees. Reduces criminal consequences of nonviolent drug offenses by mandating three-tiered probation with treatment and by providing for case dismissal and/or sealing of records after probation.
Limits court's authority to incarcerate offenders who violate probation or parole.
Shortens parole for most drug offenses, including sales, and for nonviolent property crimes. Creates numerous divisions, boards, commissions, and reporting requirements regarding drug treatment and rehabilitation.
Changes certain marijuana misdemeanors to infractions.
Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Increased state costs that could exceed $1 billion annually primarily for expanding drug treatment and rehabilitation programs for offenders in state prisons, on parole, and in the community.
Savings to the state that could exceed $1 billion annually due primarily to reduced prison and parole operating costs.
Net savings on a one-time basis on capital outlay costs for prison facilities that could exceed $2.5 billion.
Unknown net fiscal effect on expenditures for county operations and capital outlay.
Proponent Daniel N. Abrahamson, 510 229 5211, must collect 433,971 valid signatures by June 2, 2008.
January 3, 2008
Opinion: “Time for Prison Reform”
A showdown is in the air, and it appears that 2008 will be the year California's dysfunctional prison system is reformed - come hell or high water. It's not the best of scenarios. It would have been preferable that our governor or legislators corralled the beast, but even concerted efforts fell flat. While the governor did manage to put through a $7.9 billion bond that would create 53,000 new prison and jail beds, and even set aside some money for rehabilitation, it appears that Assembly Bill 900, approved in April 2007, was too little, too late…
LINK - TheReporter.com
December 24, 2007
Shasta County, Residents Weigh Options for Rehabilitation
Neighbors say the rehabilitation complex under discussion for Shasta County might work in the county's outskirts, but that it doesn't fit within Redding city limits. "Do we want to be known as a prison town, like Susanville?" Cerro Lane resident Meurig Davies said. "I don't think so…"
LINK - Redding.com
December 18, 2007
Retired Norco Warden Writes a Book
Jo Ann Gordon, 59, has seen it all during her 31-year career in the California Department of Corrections. Her book, "The Road Goes Both Ways: A Collection of Short Stories," was published earlier this year, and it shares some of the tales she has cultivated through the years…
LINK - PE.com
