BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Kevin Murray, Chairman
1589 (Romero)
Hearing Date: 5/25/06 Amended: 5/17/06
Consultant: Nora Lynn Policy Vote: Public Safety 4-2
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BILL SUMMARY: SB 1589 requires the Department of Corrections
and Rehabilitation's (CDCR's) Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ)
to "explore options" for specialized programming for high-risk
or high-need juvenile offenders and to consider certain changes
pertaining to its composition, including giving priority for
placement of female offenders outside division facilities; if
alternative placement is unavailable, DJJ is to report to the
Legislature with alternatives. SB 1589 further directs DJJ to
transfer all female offenders out of division facilities as
expediently as possible.
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Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 Fund
Programming, relocationUnknown, likely at least $6
million;General
see staff comments
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STAFF COMMENTS: SUSPENSE FILE
DJJ is currently under a court-ordered consent decree to improve
its conditions pursuant to a class action lawsuit brought by the
Prison Law Office (Farrell v.Warner), and the division is
implementing a series of remedial plans to address specific
shortcomings and areas of concern raised by Farrell. The
governor's proposed 2006-07 budget requested funding of $42.9
million and 386 positions to implement a Safety and Welfare
Remedial Plan, among whose features is the closing of "most or
all of the current DJJ facilities and replac[ing] them with
smaller facilities designed to serve specific types of youthful
offenders?" (Senate Budget and Fiscal Committee, Subcommittee 4
agenda from April 27, 2006). This component of court-mandated
reforms is slated to be completed by the end of 2009-10 at a
total annual cost of $94 million to support 828 additional
staff.
To the extent DJJ is able to "explore options" for high-risk
wards in conjunction with budgeted work supportive of Farrell
reforms, costs for these activities are likely not significant.
If Farrell activities funding is reduced or eliminated in the
approved 2006-07 budget or if the activities prescribed by SB
1589 are found to be inconsistent with Farrell, staff estimates
the division will need at least two positions to weigh
alternative placement programming for high-risk wards.
There are 150 female wards in DJJ facilities, and they comprise
less than five percent of the total juvenile offender population
in state custody. Female wards are housed at the Ventura Youth
Correctional Facility whose annual budget is approximately $31
million.
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SB 1589 (Romero)
SB 1589's directives regarding female offenders and alternative
placement are consistent with the division's recently submitted
budget change proposal (BCP) for a female offenders program
outside DJJ. The BCP proposes hiring a consultant in female
offenders to assist in writing a request for proposal (at a cost
of $795,000) for provision of services for girls as well as six
months of contracted services for female wards outside DJJ
facilities ($4.7 million). The BCP further projects ongoing
costs at $8.6 million per year.