BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1920
Page 1
Date of Hearing: March 25, 2014
Counsel: Stella Choe
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY
Tom Ammiano, Chair
AB 1920 (Campos) - As Introduced: February 19, 2014
SUMMARY : Specifies that the Board of State and Community
Corrections (BSCC) must include training and employment
opportunities within the services to be delivered through
regional partnerships and grant funds, and includes at-risk
youth in the target population that would receive those
services.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes BSCC, commencing July 1, 2012, an entity
independent of the Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation. (Pen. Code, § 6024, subd. (a).)
2)States that the mission of BSCC shall include providing
statewide leadership, coordination, and technical assistance
to promote effective state and local efforts and partnerships
in California's adult and juvenile criminal justice system,
including addressing gang problems. This mission shall reflect
the principle of aligning fiscal policy and correctional
practices, including, but not limited to prevention,
intervention, suppression, supervision, and incapacitation, to
promote a justice investment strategy that fits each county
and is consistent with the integrated statewide goal of
improved public safety through cost-effective, promising, and
evidence-based strategies for managing criminal justice
populations. (Pen. Code, § 6024, subd. (b).)
3)States that it shall be the duty of BSCC to collect and
maintain available information and data about state and
community correctional policies, practices, capacities, and
needs, including, but not limited to, prevention,
intervention, suppression, supervision, and incapacitation, as
they relate to both adult corrections, juvenile justice, and
gang problems. (Pen. Code, § 6027, subd. (a).)
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4)Requires BSCC to do the following:
a) Develop recommendations for the improvement of criminal
justice and delinquency and gang prevention activity
throughout the state;
b) Identify, promote, and provide technical assistance
relating to evidence-based programs, practices, and
promising and innovative projects consistent with the
mission of BSCC;
c) Develop definitions of key terms, including, but not
limited to, "recidivism," "average daily population,"
"treatment program completion rates," and any other terms
deemed relevant in order to facilitate consistency in local
data collection, evaluation, and implementation of
evidence-based practices, promising evidence-based
practices, and evidence-based programs. In developing these
definitions, the board shall consult with specified
stakeholders and experts;
d) Receive and disburse federal funds, and perform all
necessary and appropriate services in the performance of
its duties as established by federal acts;
e) Develop comprehensive, unified, and orderly procedures
to ensure that applications for grants are processed
fairly, efficiently, and in a manner consistent with the
mission of BSCC;
f) Identify delinquency and gang intervention and
prevention grants that have the same or similar program
purpose, are allocated to the same entities, serve the same
target populations, and have the same desired outcomes for
the purpose of consolidating grant funds and programs and
moving toward a unified single delinquency intervention and
prevention grant application process in adherence with all
applicable federal guidelines and mandates;
g) Cooperate with and render technical assistance to the
Legislature, state agencies, units of general local
government, combinations of those units, or other public or
private agencies, organizations, or institutions in matters
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relating to criminal justice and delinquency prevention;
h) Develop incentives for units of local government to
develop comprehensive regional partnerships whereby
adjacent jurisdictions pool grant funds in order to deliver
services to a broader target population and maximize the
impact of state funds at the local level;
i) Conduct evaluation studies of the programs and
activities assisted by the federal acts;
j) Identify and evaluate state, local, and federal gang and
youth violence suppression, intervention, and prevention
programs and strategies, along with funding for those
efforts. BSCC shall assess and make recommendations for the
coordination of the state's programs, strategies, and
funding that address gang and youth violence in a manner
that maximizes the effectiveness and coordination of those
programs, strategies, and resources. By January 1, 2014,
BSCC shall develop funding allocation policies to ensure
that within three years no less than 70 percent of funding
for gang and youth violence suppression, intervention, and
prevention programs and strategies is used in programs that
utilize promising and proven evidence-based principles and
practices. BSCC shall communicate with local agencies and
programs in an effort to promote the best evidence-based
principles and practices for addressing gang and youth
violence through suppression, intervention, and prevention;
aa) BSCC shall collect from each county the plan submitted
pursuant to 2011 public safety realignment within two
months of adoption by the county boards of supervisors.
Commencing January 1, 2013, and annually thereafter, the
board shall collect and analyze available data regarding
the implementation of the local plans and other
outcome-based measures, as defined. By July 1, 2013, and
annually thereafter, the board shall provide to the
Governor and the Legislature a report on the implementation
of the plans; and
bb) Commencing on and after July 1, 2012, BSCC, in
consultation with the Administrative Office of the Courts,
the California State Association of Counties, the
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California State Sheriffs' Association, and the Chief
Probation Officers of California, shall support the
development and implementation of first phase baseline and
ongoing data collection instruments to reflect the local
impact of 2011 public safety realignment, specifically
related to dispositions for felony offenders and
postrelease community supervision. BSCC shall make any data
collected pursuant to this paragraph available on the
board's Internet Web site. It is the intent of the
Legislature that BSCC promote collaboration and the
reduction of duplication of data collection and reporting
efforts where possible. (Pen. Code, § 6027, subd. (b).)
5)Provides that BSCC may do either of the following:
a) Collect, evaluate, publish, and disseminate statistics
and other information on the condition and progress of
criminal justice in the state; and
b) Perform other functions and duties as required by
federal acts, rules, regulations, or guidelines in acting
as the administrative office of the state planning agency
for distribution of federal grants. (Pen. Code, § 6027,
subd. (c).)
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
1)Author's Statement : According to the author, "This bill would
increase job training and employment opportunities for at-risk
youth through locally funded programs that help prevent youth
and gang violence. Specifically, the bill would expand the
types of programs eligible for funding through the California
Gang Reduction, Intervention, and Prevention Program
(CalGRIP).
"The YouthBuild Program is one of many programs available
throughout the state that provide an alternative school
setting for at-risk youth. The program provides construction
job training through a pre-apprenticeship program. For
example, youth build housing for the homeless and low-income
families.
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"Hands-on job training combined with personal counseling and
peer support groups has proven to be effective in assisting
youth in healing from their past. One of the main missions of
YouthBuild is for youth to develop leadership skills, learn
the value of civic engagement and participate actively in
community affairs.
"Focusing only on gang intervention and suppression is not
sufficient anymore. Research shows that the next step in
permanent gang reduction is job training because it offers a
way out of a violent and gang oriented lifestyle."
2)Background : According to the background materials provided by
the author, "CalGRIP funds are provided to California cities
meeting certain criteria. These funds have been frequently
allocated towards intervention and suppression services.
There is no requirement that CalGRIP funded services include
job training and employment opportunities for at-risk youth.
Job training and employment opportunities for this target
population have proven to be an effective alternative to gang
involvement.
Integrating hands-on job training further helps youth move
forward in overcoming negative habits and attitudes.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of
Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention, job training and
employment opportunities are essential in the long-term
strategy for preventing gang affiliation and encouraging youth
to become responsible community members.
3)Arguments in Support :
a) California Youthbuild Coalition , the sponsor of this
bill writes, "BSCC is the entity designated by the state of
California to provide technical assistance and funding to
support anti-recidivism and gang reduction programs. This
bill will further BSCC's objective by allowing greater
consideration for job training and employment opportunities
in their delivery of services to a broader population such
as at-risk youth.
"According to the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, requiring job
training and employment opportunities are considered best
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practices in addressing community gang issues. Job
training and employment opportunities are essential in the
long-term strategy for preventing gang affiliation and
encouraging persons to become responsible community
members. Job training provides a foundational anchor
preparing at-risk youth with effective and necessary
skills. Once training and skills are acquired, availability
of employment opportunities provides a positive alternative
to gang affiliation. Furthermore, employment opportunities
provide a sense of self-reliance, importance, and upward
mobilization for at-risk youth.
"Our state must look past short-term fixes, and focus on
providing long-term solutions for at-risk youth. Providing
and requiring consideration of best practices, such as job
training and employment opportunities, will move our state
in the right direction in reducing recidivism and combating
community gang issues."
b) The California Public Defenders Association (CPDA)
writes, "Existing law requires the Board of State and
Community Corrections to develop incentives for units of
local government to develop comprehensive regional
partnerships whereby adjacent jurisdictions pool grant
funds in order to deliver services to a broader target
population.
"This bill would insure that the services include training
and employment opportunities, without limiting those
services. This bill would also insure that the target
population would include at-risk youth without limiting the
target population.
"CPDA supports this bill because job and training
opportunities are among the most important services that
could be provided, and at-risk youth are among the most
important of target populations."
4)Current Legislation :
a) AB 2521 (Hagman) would, on and after July 1, 2015,
require BSCC, in consultation with the Administrative
Office of the Courts, the California State Association of
Counties, the California State Sheriffs' Association, and
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the Chief Probation Officers of California, to collect and
analyze data regarding recidivism rates, as defined, of all
persons who have received sentences for felonies punishable
by imprisonment in a county jail, as specified, or who have
been placed on postrelease community supervision. AB 2521
would require the data to include, as it becomes available,
recidivism rates for offenders one, 2, and 3 years after
their release in the community, and require BSCC to make
this data available on the board's Internet Web site on a
quarterly basis. AB 2521 is pending referral by the Rules
Committee.
b) SB 1054 (Steinberg) would require BSCC to administer and
award mentally ill offender crime reduction grants on a
competitive basis to counties that expand or establish a
continuum of swift, certain, and graduated responses to
reduce crime and criminal justice costs related to mentally
ill offenders. SB 1054 is pending hearing by the Senate
Committee on Public Safety.
5)Prior Legislation :
a) AB 909 (Gray), of the 2013-14 Legislative Session, would
have required BSCC to establish a Metal Theft Task Force to
provide grants to regional task forces for the purpose of
providing the tools to combat metal theft. AB 909 was
vetoed.
b) AB 1050 (Dickinson), Chapter 270, Statutes of 2013,
requires BSCC to develop definitions of key terms,
including, but not limited to, "recidivism," "average daily
population," "treatment program completion rates," and any
other terms deemed relevant in order to facilitate
consistency in local data collection, evaluation, and
implementation of evidence-based practices, promising
evidence-based practices, and evidence-based programs, in
consultation with the California State Association of
Counties, California Sheriffs' Association, Chief Probation
Officers of California, California District Attorneys
Association, and the Administrative Office of the Courts.
c) AB 1197 (Jones-Sawyer), of the 2013-14 Legislative
Session, would declare the intent of the Legislature to
enact legislation to require a county, as a condition of
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receipt of funds from the Youthful Offender Block Grant
Fund, to collect and report countywide performance outcomes
and expenditures related to juvenile justice, and to
require BSCC to collect and report this data in its annual
reports. AB 1197 died at the Desk.
d) AB 526 (Dickinson), Chapter 850, Statutes of 2012,
requires BSCC to identify and consolidate gang intervention
and delinquency prevention programs and grants and focus
funding on evidenced-based practices.
e) AB 1387 (Solorio), of the 2011-12 Legislative Session,
would have mandated the California Emergency Management
Agency, to the extent that funds are appropriated, to
establish a Youthful Offender Reentry competitive grant
program specifically targeting offenders who will be
between 16 and 23 years of age upon their release from a
local county juvenile facility, the Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation's Division of Juvenile
Facilities, probation, or parole. AB 1387 was later
amended to another subject matter and held on the Senate
Committee on Appropriations' Suspense file.
f) AB 1294 (Furutani), of the 2011-12 Legislative Session,
would have required county juvenile probation departments,
subject to an appropriation for this purpose, to identify
community reentry programs and eligible youthful offenders,
and coordinate enrollment. AB 1294 was held on the
Committee on Appropriations' Suspense File.
g) SB 92 (Budget and Fiscal Review Committee), Chapter 36,
Statutes of 2011, starting July 1, 2012, eliminates the
Corrections Standards Authority, and assigns its former
duties to the newly created 12-member BSCC and assigns
additional duties, as provided.
h) AB 2200 (Solorio), of the of the 2009-10 Legislative
Session, would have established "Rebuilding Communities and
Rebuilding Lives Act of 2010," which would have mandated
CDCR, to the extend funds are appropriated, to establish a
reentry program specifically targeting offenders who will
be between 16 and 23 years of age upon their release,
parole, or discharge from either state or county custody.
AB 2200 was held on the Committee on Appropriations'
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Suspense File.
i) AB 643 (Wesson), Chapter 829, Statutes of 1999,
established a YouthBuild Program within the Employment
Development Department to provide grants to organizations
which employ and train disadvantaged youth in conjunction
with the construction or rehabilitation of housing for low
income and other specified populations.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California YouthBuild Coalition (Sponsor)
California Public Defenders Association
Century Center for Economic Opportunity
Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission
Pasadena YouthBuild
San Jose Conservation Corps and Charter School Youth
San Gabriel Valley Conservation Corps
YouthBuild San Joaquin
Yuba County Office of Education
Opposition
None
Analysis Prepared by : Stella Choe / PUB. S. / (916) 319-3744