Message from CDCR Secretary James E. Tilton

In the past year since lawmakers agreed on a comprehensive corrections overhaul and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Assembly Bill 900, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has made great progress.  As this document illustrates, there is a significant amount of oversight and direction that has been provided to this agency.  My staff is fully committed to being responsive and accountable in meeting the benchmarks and expectations that have been laid out.  CDCR has kept pace with AB 900 and has completed or is on track to complete each of the 13 progress benchmarks mandated by the bill.

Current prison population trends are down significantly. That trend is an example of the progress underway to reduce overcrowding.  Today’s prison population is down to 170,000, falling from a record high of 173,479 inmates in October 2006 – a reduction of over 3,000 inmates, or enough to fill one full prison.

The declining inmate population has been followed by a reduction in the number of beds in non-traditional housing like gymnasiums, day rooms or other areas not intended as sleeping areas. As of March 2008, there were 15,744 inmates living in such areas, down from 19,618 in August 2007.  Another 1,500 non-traditional beds are scheduled to be deactivated in the coming months.  CDCR is also expected to break ground on 6,050 beds at four prisons and a 500-bed reentry facility in Stockton, San Joaquin County by the end of 2008.

Implementing positive change in such a massive organization is a monumental task.  However, I have full confidence that the staff and reforms we have in place are steadily improving the operations of California’s prison system. There has been a seismic shift of focus that is geared toward reinforcing the “R” in CDCR.  In the past year we have increased community treatment beds by 40%, to nearly 7,000. California is finally embracing research that has shown that it is time for a change in thought and direction.  My executive team is currently drawing from and implementing a myriad of recommendations from the Expert Panel, the Governor’s Strike Teams, the Legislature, and numerous other reports.

Today we are moving away from solely housing inmates in remote prisons until the date when they must be released, and toward a new model that seeks to rehabilitate offenders in our custody so that we can return them to their home communities better off than when they arrived.  The new corrections model that California is developing is evidence-based, and rehabilitation programs are being tailored to meet the offenders’ needs.  These programs will be delivered in prison, during transition in reentry facilities, and post-release while on parole. It is this type of comprehensive model that will provide lasting results and reduce recidivism rates. 

It is my hope that the progress that is currently being made will continue in coming years, and that California’s correctional system will ultimately be a model for others to follow.  The success of this reform movement would not have been possible without the active involvement of local community partners, law enforcement, stakeholders and legislators engaged every step of the way.  We have come very far this past year, and I am confident that if we can maintain this coalition of support for comprehensive criminal justice reform, we will continue to achieve results that will improve public safety well into the future.

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