BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
SB 356 (Hancock) - Opportunity Yard Pilot Project
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|Version: February 24, 2015 |Policy Vote: PUB. S. 7 - 0 |
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|Urgency: No |Mandate: No |
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|Hearing Date: May 11, 2015 |Consultant: Jolie Onodera |
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This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill
Summary: SB 356 would require the Secretary of the Department
of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to establish the
"Opportunity Yard Pilot Project" in at least five prisons, as
specified.
Fiscal
Impact: Major costs of $10.8 million (General Fund) per year
for three years to establish and operate a three-year program in
five prisons. To the extent programs are established in
additional prisons or operate in excess of three years, as
allowable under the provisions of this measure, costs would be
commensurately greater.
Background: Existing law establishes the CDCR to oversee the state prison
system, which is comprised of 34 prisons and 43 conservation
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camps. The CDCR also has jurisdiction over inmates housed in
in-state and out-of-state contracted beds. CDCR also supervises
and treats adult parolees.
The CDCR report, The Future of California Corrections: A
Blueprint to Save Billions of Dollars, End Federal Court
Oversight, and Improve the Prison System, listed improved access
to rehabilitation as one of the key components to reaching its
goals of satisfying the Supreme Court's order, achieving
significant savings, and maintaining an effective prison system
for years to come. With regard to programming:
This plan enables the department to improve access
to rehabilitative programs and place at least 70
percent of the department's target population in
programs consistent with their academic and
rehabilitative needs. Increasing access to
rehabilitative programs will reduce recidivism by
better preparing inmates to be productive members
of society. In doing so, it will help lower the
long-term prison population and save the state
money.
Prior to realignment, the department was able to
serve only a small percentage of its target
population. Realignment has provided the
opportunity to increase access and improve its
rehabilitative programs, which will significantly
lower California's recidivism rate.
In addition to reentry hubs, the department will
designate certain facilities as
enhanced-programming units in order to support and
create incentives for inmates who, based on their
own behaviors and choices, are ready to take full
advantage of programming opportunities. Program
options in these institutions will be primarily
academic and career technical education programs,
volunteer, and self-help programs.
Proposed Law:
This bill would require the CDCR to establish the Opportunity
Yard Pilot Project in at least five prisons for offenders under
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CDCR jurisdiction who have been sentenced under PC § 1170
(previous conviction for a serious or violent felony or an
offense requiring sex offender registration) and are likely to
benefit from placement in a program designed to provide
comprehensive educational and rehabilitative programming.
Specifically, this bill:
Provides that the mission of this pilot would be to 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.
Requires the pilot program to integrate evidence-based
practices of supervision, treatment, and rehabilitation in a
positive, safe, and purposeful correctional environment.
Requires the pilot be initiated in at least five prisons, as
selected by CDCR, for at least three years. At least two of
the prisons chosen shall be Level III general population
facilities. At least two of the prisons shall be Level IV
general population facilities.
Requires CDCR to develop and implement criteria for selecting
inmates that are consistent with specified requirements
including that inmate placement in the program shall be
voluntary, and to the extent feasible, the program is to be
comprised of at least a majority of offenders between 18 and
26 years of age, inclusive, with a parole consideration
hearing date not exceeding five years from the date of their
placement in the program.
Requires CDCR to develop and implement appropriate selection
criteria and training for staff, programming and curriculum
for the program, and a plan for evaluating the program and
identifying outcome measures for program participants.
Authorizes CDCR to adopt emergency regulations to implement,
and subsequently adopt permanent regulations that make
appropriate changes in policies and procedures.
Sunsets the bill's provisions on January 1, 2021.
Related
Legislation: None applicable.
Staff
Comments: The CDCR has indicated that in order to develop,
activate, and maintain the proposed Opportunity Yard Pilot
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Project, the Division of Rehabilitative Programs (DRP) would
require additional personnel. Assuming that DRP utilized current
methods of operation similar to those for Reentry Hub Programs,
which is the closest existing program to the program proposed in
this measure, the specific impact would be dependent upon
negotiation with bargaining units before criteria could be
developed for selecting and training staff assigned to the
program. It is estimated that DRP would develop eligibility
criteria for program participation through existing procedures,
and the current method for evaluating programming/curriculum and
measuring program outcomes could be modified for use in the
pilot.
CDCR estimates total costs of $10.8 million annually for three
years to operate the pilot in five prisons. This estimate is
based on 18 civil service staff positions at a cost of $1.96
million and approximately $8.86 million per year for the
contracted services in five prisons. The contracted service
costs are based on an average cost of $9.71 per inmate, per day
in Reentry Hub programming, which provides similar services.
This cost also assumes 500 program slots per prison.
To the extent the provision of enhanced programming provided by
the pilot program increases the ability of eligible inmates to
successfully reenter society upon completion of their prison
sentence could lead to future cost savings in reduced recidivism
of an unknown, but potentially significant amount.
Recommended Amendments: To reduce the estimated costs of this
measure, the author may wish to reduce or cap the potential size
and duration of the pilot. The bill currently requires
establishment of the pilot in at least five prisons for at least
three years.
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