CDCR Hosts Regional Workshop in Monterey County on Secure Community Reentry Facilities

Event held to educate local officials and stakeholders on new reforms

MONTEREY - The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) hosted the first of a series of regional workshops today on Secure Community Reentry Facilities, a key component of recently signed legislation by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to reform California’s prison and jail systems.  The first workshop, held in Monterey, included representatives from Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, and San Luis Obispo counties.

"The centerpiece of Governor Schwarzenegger's comprehensive prison reform package is the creation of secure reentry facilities in the local communities where inmates will be returning upon release. These facilities are designed to improve public safety and reduce overcrowding by lowering recidivism rates," said Marisela Montes, CDCR Chief Deputy Secretary, Adult Programs. "Inmates too often leave prison with $200 minus the cost of a bus ticket, and no prospects for success once they return home. The goal of a secure community reentry facility is to ease the transition of local residents who have served their time so that they can be prepared to lead a productive, law-abiding life."

This regional workshop was the first in a series of nine statewide regional workshops that have been organized through October 5th, 2007. In addition, on July 16 CDCR hosted an online web seminar to discuss why community reentry facilities are important to public safety.

In May of this year, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Assembly Bill 900, the Public Safety and Offender Rehabilitation Services Act of 2007, a historic prison reform agreement. Chief among the provisions of Assembly Bill 900 are funding for 16,000 beds in secure community reentry facilities.  These facilities will enable CDCR and local communities to create an unprecedented continuity of care to provide support services. Reentry facilities will be built in cities, counties or regions willing to partner with CDCR, to assist local residents who are required to be returned to the county where they committed their offense upon release.

“By law, inmates are returned to their county of last legal residence, meaning our offenders are coming back to local cities and towns whether they’re rehabilitated or not.  These are our residents, and it is in our interest to see that they have a plan for life after incarceration,” said Mike Kanalakis, Sheriff Monterey County.  “Giving inmates the tools they need to succeed on parole and once they are off supervision will increase public safety and reduce crime.”

Invited participants to the regional workshop were from Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, and San Luis Obispo counties, and included: local government officials, sheriffs, boards of supervisors, mayors, city council members, chief probation officers, mental health professionals, drug/alcohol professionals, county administrative officers, police chiefs, district attorneys, county public works, community based agencies, victims advocates, chamber of commerce, legislators, and association representatives. 

Participants attended workshops discussing parolee programming needs, jail construction funding, and standards for reentry facilities.

“These secure reentry facilities will provide important services to prepare ex-offenders for release and protect local communities.  The final plans and agreements on new community reentry facilities will be negotiated by county sheriffs and county administrative officers, and are subject to board of supervisor approval, meaning the public will be engaged at every step,” said Dave Potter, Chair, Monterey County Board of Supervisors.  “It is important for the public to realize that these are our residents who are coming home, ready-or-not, and that a coordinated plan to help them reenter Monterey is critical.”

For more information on secure reentry centers, and the Governor's focus on rehabilitation through the new reforms, please visit the CDCR website at: http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/News/PrisonReform.html