Community Involvement Critical to Success of Reentry Centers
Additional Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
- Will the County have the discretion to refuse state prisoner admissions to the reentry facility due to prison overcrowded conditions and no available bed space?
- Are any steps being considered for offenders who are returning to the county as required but have no connections or potential support within that county and actually may be better served by returning to their actual county of historical residence?
- Can the programming within a reentry facility recognize several security levels, for example, to allow for intensive programs on one wing and less intensive work release in another wing?
- There are a few counties currently designing jail facilities which could incorporate reentry facilities into their designs. Is there a way to help these counties move along and incorporate reentry without jeopardizing grant funding by going too far with their current projects?
- Why isn’t California utilizing proven techniques of employing a “Drug Court” model to oversee the offender’s reentry into the community? Programming in the facility followed by day releases for work/school ultimately stepped-down to electronic monitoring and then full release?
- Who determines what types of inmates are sent to each reentry facility?
- What type of staffing does the Department propose for the Secure Reentry Facilities?
- For counties that have signed "Agreements to Cooperate", what treatment modalities do their mental health/AODS programming staff envision will be successful and represent best practices, given that the reentry facilities are going to be secure and will not have the ability to leave the facility for treatment/work?
- If there are significant medical or psychiatric costs incurred from a State prisoner in the reentry facility, who will bear the costs?
- There seems to be a link between the siting of reentry facilities and local jail expansion funding. Has CDCR eliminated all counties that don't build reentry facilities on County property?
- How do these re-entry facilities differ from traditional halfway houses for parolees?
- Will there be Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Counselors on the staff? Will the AOD counselors be state employees or will they be contracted?
- Parole has in the past provided services or facilitated services for inmates such as job training, drug treatment, mental health and social services - what role will parole play, where do parole officers fall into this plan/ reentry process?
- Are small counties going to equally benefit from AB900 in relation to large counties?
Will the County have the discretion to refuse state prisoner admissions to the reentry facility due to prison overcrowded conditions and no available bed space?
Reentry facilities will have an identified maximum capacity developed in collaboration with counties. CDCR will not exceed this maximum capacity at any time.
Are any steps being considered for offenders who are returning to the county as required but have no connections or potential support within that county and actually may be better served by returning to their actual county of historical residence?
Under current law, offenders are paroled to their county of last legal residence – except under very strict conditions, including the presence of a victim of a violent crime requesting the parolee be relocated. Use of reentry facilities will not change the criteria for how offenders are returned to their county of last legal residence.
Can the programming within a reentry facility recognize several security levels, for example, to allow for intensive programs on one wing and less intensive work release in another wing?
Yes, the reentry facilities will be designed to be safe and secure for all offender populations with appropriate programming for the inmate population. Because these are secure facilities, they will not include work release.
There are a few counties currently designing jail facilities which could incorporate reentry facilities into their designs. Is there a way to help these counties move along and incorporate reentry without jeopardizing grant funding by going too far with their current projects?
The state is in the process of expediting the competitive process for awarding jail bond funding with the release of the RFP available in November of 2007. However, it is recommended that in an effort to avoid unintentional delays relative to either jails or reentry facilities, any county/city pursuing an integrated building or complex for the jail/reentry facility should contact Bob Takeshta, Deputy Director Corrections Standards Authority, at (916) 322-8346, and/or Deborah Hysen, Chief Deputy Secretary Facility Planning, at (916) 323-6001.
Why isn’t California utilizing proven techniques of employing a “Drug Court” model to oversee the offender’s reentry into the community? Programming in the facility followed by day releases for work/school ultimately stepped-down to electronic monitoring and then full release?
The CDCR is currently exploring use of a drug court pilot for the parolee population.
Who determines what types of inmates are sent to each reentry facility?
The final determination of what types of inmates will be housed in the reentry facilities will be made by CDCR staff. Counties will be part of the program planning process and will work with CDCR on what types of inmates will be acceptable for housing within that facility based on risk and needs assessments conducted on inmates during incarceration.
What type of staffing does the Department propose for the Secure Reentry Facilities?
There will be a variety of job classifications employed at each reentry facility in order to support the delivery of intensive programs to the offenders housed in the facilities. The facilities will employ custody staff, staff with specialties in education, in health care, in substance abuse counseling, in the arts, in recreation, and other essential program areas. CDCR may contract with local government to provide certain programs or services and contract staff may be employed to deliver specialty programs or services.
For counties that have signed "Agreements to Cooperate", what treatment modalities do their mental health/AODS programming staff envision will be successful and represent best practices, given that the reentry facilities are going to be secure and will not have the ability to leave the facility for treatment/work?
The types of programs and services to be provided in each reentry facility will be carefully planned in collaboration with local community program providers, including Alcohol and Drug Programs, Mental Health Services, Housing Agency, County Office of Education, and other local agency providers. The principle of best practices and promising programs will be part of the program planning. More importantly, the principle of evidence-based programs and practices will be essential for deciding what program elements and methods will be appropriate to address offender risks to re-offend and needs for successful parole.
Inmates requiring specialized treatment not available in the reentry facility will be transported to external service providers and treatment facilities on an as needed basis.
If there are significant medical or psychiatric costs incurred from a State prisoner in the reentry facility, who will bear the costs?
The State of California.
There seems to be a link between the siting of reentry facilities and local jail expansion funding. Has CDCR eliminated all counties that don't build reentry facilities on County property?
AB 900 has established a nexus between siting a reentry facility and receiving preference for local jail construction lease revenue bonds.
CDCR has not eliminated any city our county that is interested in partnering with the State on this important endeavor. The State will be exploring the acquisition of both improved and unimproved land held by cities, counties, and under private ownership in addition to state-owned lands and buildings. Its analysis will include among other considerations the feasibility and costs associated with the purchase, renovation/construction and operation of each facility in order to provide the best value to the state, local communities and all other interested stakeholders.
How do these re-entry facilities differ from traditional halfway houses for parolees?
The reentry facilities will be locked, secure facilities and will occupy offenders currently in custody. The offenders housed in these facilities will not be allowed outside the perimeter without custody supervision. The custody and security services within the reentry facilities will be provided by state Correctional Officers, unless the state contracts with local government to operate the facility with staff hired by the Sheriff’s Department. The reentry facilities will house up to 500 inmates. In the reentry facilities, all programming will be provided within the secure perimeter by treatment providers, teachers, vocational instructors, employers and others. In halfway houses, the parolees generally leave the residence to obtain programs and services, where available.
Will there be Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Counselors on the staff? Will the AOD counselors be state employees or will they be contracted?
In most cases, substance abuse counseling staff will be through a contract for specialty services as currently used in other state prisons and parole offices.
Parole has in the past provided services or facilitated services for inmates such as job training, drug treatment, mental health and social services - what role will parole play, where do parole officers fall into this plan/ reentry process?
Parole Agents will continue to provide the transitional services and programs that they have always provided. With the introduction of reentry facilities, parole agents will be able to enhance the supervision to include accountability and compliance of parolees, as they will be able to meet with the parolees prior to release into the community. Agents will become familiar with the programs that the parolee has been involved in, the continued programming needs of the parolee, and areas to focus any special parole conditions to enhance supervision and provide for a continuity of care as needed. The inmate will also be able to meet their parole agent and learn his or her expectations prior to release.
Are small counties going to equally benefit from AB900 in relation to large counties?
The Corrections Standards Authority has established a process that plans to fairly distribute the funds available through AB 900 between large, medium, and small capacity. They will be considering such factors as the size of the county (large, medium and small), need (operating under court capacity or self imposed capacity), early releases due to crowding, etc.
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