Prisons Must Focus on Rehabilitation

(As published in the San Francisco Chronicle
on Friday May 11, 2007 editorial pages)

By Kathy Jett

The prison reforms signed into law last week by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger mark a fundamental shift in the mission of California's prison system. We are moving from just locking away prisoners in remote warehouses, where many simply learn to be better criminals, to a focus on rehabilitation programs that make our communities safer.

Why invest in rehabilitation? Some say that reforming offenders is simply being soft on crime. But consider this: More than 97 percent of the 172,000 inmates in our prisons will be eligible for parole, and nearly 60,000 inmates are scheduled to be released within three years. Without proper programs, approximately 70 percent of inmates will either violate their parole or commit new crimes. This cycle must end.

We already have laws in place to lock up habitual lawbreakers. The governor's and Legislature's reforms don't change these laws. But they do invest in rehabilitative programs that reduce the likelihood that prisoners will commit new crimes once they're released.

These reforms fund construction of 53,000 new prison and jail beds, all of which will be tied to rehabilitation services. These new beds will free up space in our dangerously overcrowded prisons and reduce early release in California's maxed-out local jails. Of these 53,000 new beds, 16,000 will be built in existing prisons so that inmates who are living in crowded gymnasiums and dayrooms can move into appropriate living quarters, where they can be properly and safely supervised.

Freeing up gyms and other spaces will allow substance abuse, anger management, educational and vocational training, and other rehabilitation programs to resume. In fact, 4,000 of the new beds will be devoted to drug treatment programs in prisons and aftercare facilities that reduce drug and alcohol addiction and the massive costs associated with drug-related crime.

If we help inmates better themselves while in prison, we greatly increase their chances for successfully re-entering outside life, getting jobs, paying taxes, and contributing to our communities. By treating substance abusers and addicts differently than more hardened and violent criminals, we can address some of the root causes of crime, while improving public safety.

These reforms fund the construction in communities of 16,000 new beds in secure re-entry facilities. Secure re-entry facilities don't bring offenders into our communities -- offenders are already here. Every inmate released from prison is returned directly to their county of last legal residence. The state will partner closely with local law enforcement and government to site these facilities, giving communities the chance to weigh in before any construction begins.

In addition to building new rehabilitation-focused centers, the governor's reforms will improve management at our state prisons and strengthen existing programs so that they're more effective.

The new prison system envisioned by the governor and the Legislature is not just more of the same. But in order for these important reforms to be successful, everyone -- prison management, local communities, elected officials and the public -- must understand that the old attitude of "lock 'em up and throw away the key" doesn't apply to the vast majority of offenders.

This plan amounts to a historic shift in our corrections system that will reduce recidivism and improve community safety by ensuring that offenders are prepared for life outside. By investing in prisoners' futures, we improve public safety for all.

Kathy Jett is the director of the Division of Addiction and Recovery Services for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.