Prison Reforms: Achieving Results

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has released its report on achievements made by the Department to meet requirements of the historic AB 900 legislation signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger on May 3, 2007.

The focus of the legislation was to improve public safety by reducing the rates at which inmates re-victimize communities and return to prison.  Long-term and short-term solutions were spelled out by the legislation and the CDCR is pleased to announce it is on-track in meeting the aggressive benchmarks for construction, rehabilitation, and oversight.

The CDCR report shows clearly that it is on an accelerated track to complete the state’s ambitious reform proposal.  The publication illustrates the significant progress underway toward a new model for the state of California that focuses on effective rehabilitation while actively engaging local communities and law enforcement as partners in the criminal justice system. Items covered in the report include:

• Progress toward construction of new beds at prisons to significantly reduce overcrowding;
• Movement underway toward a significant expansion of rehabilitation services;
• Expansion of in-prison rehabilitation space for programs, including substance abuse treatment beds;
• Progress on citing Secure Community Reentry Facilities;
• Progress on inmate assessment instrument at reception centers;
• Inmate treatment and prison-to-employment plan;
• Expansion of crisis care services for parolees;
• Progress on the California Rehabilitation Oversight Board;
• Filling of key managerial positions at CDCR;
• Increases to full-time participation in inmate and vocational education programs;
• Improvements to parole procedures; and,
• Additional developments toward meeting benchmarks laid out in AB 900.

Message from the Secretary-->>