SB 356, as introduced, Hancock. Opportunity Yard Pilot Project.
Existing law establishes the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to oversee the state prison system. Existing law requires the department to establish parole reentry and assessment programs and education and training programs for inmates.
This bill would require the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to establish the Opportunity Yard Pilot Project in 5 prisons, as specified. The program would implement promising and evidence-based practices and programming in a separate, special purpose prison housing unit setting designed to strengthen the ability of eligible inmates to successfully reenter society upon completion of their prison sentence. The bill would require the department to set criteria for selecting inmates to participate in the program, select staff for the program, and establish program criteria. The bill would repeal these provisions as of January 1, 2021.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Article 7 (commencing with Section 2696) is
2added to Chapter 4 of Title 1 of Part 3 of the Penal Code, to read:
(a) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and
4Rehabilitation shall establish the Opportunity Yard Pilot Project
5for offenders under the jurisdiction of the department who have
6been sentenced to a term of imprisonment under Section 1170 and
7are likely to benefit from placement in a program designed to
8provide comprehensive educational and rehabilitative programming
9based on current best practices consistent with the purposes and
10requirements of this section.
11(b) The mission of the pilot program is to implement promising
12and evidence-based practices and programming in a separate,
13special purpose prison housing unit setting designed to strengthen
14the ability of eligible inmates to successfully reenter society upon
15completion of their
prison sentence. The pilot program shall
16integrate evidence-based practices of supervision, treatment, and
17rehabilitation in a positive, safe, and purposeful correctional
18environment.
19(c) The program shall be initiated in at least five prisons, as
20selected by the secretary, for at least three years. At least two of
21the prisons chosen shall be Level III general population facilities.
22At least two of the prisons shall be Level IV general population
23facilities.
24(d) The department shall develop and implement criteria for
25selecting inmates appropriate for housing in the opportunity yards
26that shall be consistent with all of the following:
27(1) Inmate placement in the program shall be voluntary.
28(2) To the extent feasible based upon a prison site’s population
29
and eligible inmates, the program shall be comprised of at least a
30majority of offenders between 18 and 26 years of age, inclusive,
31with a parole consideration hearing date not exceeding five years
32from the date of their placement in the program.
33(3) Placement in the program shall be limited to inmates who
34demonstrate a commitment to strive daily for self-improvement,
35succeed in correctional programming, and achieve permanent life
36change.
37(4) Participation in the program may be limited to inmates who
38agree to be free from disciplinary action; who agree to enroll,
39participate in, and complete a high school diploma, Associate of
40Arts, or Bachelor of Arts college degree, or vocational trade school;
P3 1and who agree to complete job-training curriculum, maintain a job
2on the opportunity yard campus, and to serve as a peer mentor.
3(e) The department shall develop and implement appropriate
4selection criteria and training to ensure that staff assigned to an
5Opportunity Yard are highly motivated and skilled in fulfilling the
6mission of the program.
7(f) The department shall develop and implement programming
8and curriculum for the program consistent with this section.
9(g) The department shall develop and implement a plan for
10evaluating the program and identifying outcome measures for
11program participants.
12(h) The department shall adopt emergency regulations to
13implement this section initially, and shall subsequently adopt
14permanent regulations that make appropriate changes in policies
15and procedures to implement this section.
16(i) This article shall remain
in effect only until January 1, 2021,
17and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that
18is enacted before January 1, 2021, deletes or extends that date.
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