BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 2521
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 9, 2014

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                 AB 2521 (Hagman) - As Introduced:  February 21, 2014

          Policy Committee:                              Public  
          SafetyVote:  7-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires, beginning July 1, 2015, the Board of State  
          and Community Corrections (BSCC), in consultation with specified  
          stakeholders - courts, sheriffs, counties, probation -  to  
          collect and analyze data regarding recidivism rates of   
          offenders sentenced and released under realignment and post it  
          online quarterly. Requires the data collection and analysis to  
          include one, two, and three-year recidivism rates. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Annual GF staffing costs, likely in the range of $250,000 for  
          2.5 personnel year equivalents to collect, track, analyze, and  
          post data relating to thousands of offenders. Collecting the  
          required data will be a challenge, as it will require  
          considerable cooperation with local law enforcement. In  
          addition, there will be unknown, but considerable, related  
          informational technology (IT) infrastructure costs as BSCC  
          identifies and builds its IT system.  

          Pursuant to 2013 budget supplemental report language, BSCC is  
          scheduled to report to the Legislature in May its anticipated IT  
          and related staffing costs as they relate to the board's  
          mission.   

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  . The author seeks data on the effectiveness of  
            realignment. "It is imperative that we track the recidivism  
            rates of offenders who, before realignment, would have served  
            their sentence in prison, but who are now serving those  








                                                                  AB 2521
                                                                  Page  2

            sentences in county jails. This is important data that is  
            necessary to evaluate the effects of realignment on public  
            safety in our communities and the effectiveness of  
            rehabilitation programs." 

           2)BSCC  . The mission of BSCC includes 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. BSCC  
            is charged with collecting and maintaining 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.


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Geoff Long / APPR. / (916) 319-2081