SENSE. ISSUES TWO AND THREE.
OFFICE OF YOUTH AND COMMUNITY
RESTORATION. THÀNH. ISSUES FOUR,
FIVE, AND SIX CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND
REHABILITATION OAN. SO TODAY WE
WILL BE COVERING ISSUES, IN
THESE AREAS, WE DO HAVE TO
ANNOUNCE THAT WE DO HAVE, AGENDA
ITEMS, MOVING AROUND. WE WILL
TAKE AFTER ISSUE ONE. WE WILL
MOVE INTO ISSUE FIVE TO
ACCOMMODATE THAT, TRAVELING
SCHEDULES ON THAT. AND SPEAKERS
WILL BE LISTED IN ORDER OF, OF
ITEMS THAT THEY'LL BE PRESENTING
ON. WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE PLEASE KEEP YOUR REMARKS
WITHIN THE ALLOTTED TIMES,
COMMUNICATE IT TO YOU BY MY
STAFF, AND REMEMBER TO INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES PRIOR TO SPEAKING. WE
WILL BEGIN WITH BSC ISSUES ONE
VARIOUS BUDGET PROPOSALS WITH
KATHLEEN HOWARD, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR, BOARD OF STATE AND
COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIR, AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. I'M
KATIE HOWARD, THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE BSC. IS IT OKAY
IF I TALK ABOUT EACH OF THESE OR
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THEM ONE AT
A TIME? YOU COULD TALK ABOUT
EACH. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
THE FIRST IS THE PUBLIC DEFENSE
PILOT PROJECT OR PDP FOR SHORT,
AND, AND THIS IS A PROPOSAL THAT
WAS IN THE GOVERNOR'S JANUARY
BUDGET PROPOSAL TO REDUCE THE
THIRD YEAR OF FUNDING IN THE
AMOUNT OF $40 MILLION FOR A
THREE YEAR PILOT PROGRAM, AS THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE WILL
UNDERSCORE, THIS WAS NOT AN EASY
DECISION BY ANY MEANS, BUT IT
WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS
PROPOSED DURING THIS VERY
DIFFICULT BUDGET YEAR, BECAUSE
THE FUNDING HAD NOT YET BEEN
ALLOCATED OUT TO COUNTIES. SO
IT'S NOTHING TO DO WITH THE
IMPORTANCE AND THE SIGNIFICANCE
OF THIS PROJECT. THERE HAVE BEEN
TWO YEARS OF FUNDING PROVIDED
OUT TO THE COUNTIES IN THE TOTAL
AMOUNT OF 100,000,050, AND 50,
IN YEAR ONE, AND THEN IN YEAR
TWO, AND SO THE THIRD YEAR
PROPOSALS ARE ESSENTIALLY ON
HOLD DURING THE PENDENCY OF THE
BUDGET RESOLUTION FOR THE
ADDITIONAL $40 MILLION FOR YEAR
THREE, WE WILL HAVE TWO YEARS OF
PUBLIC DEFENDER PILOT PROJECT
OPERATIONS, THÀNH AND AN
EVALUATION OF THOSE TWO YEARS.
AND THIS PROPOSAL IS SIMPLY TO
REDUCE THE THIRD YEAR FUNDING IN
THE AMOUNT OF 40 MILLION. SO
THAT'S THE PDP. AND IF YOU DON'T
MIND, I THINK ITEM TWO IS REAL
SIMPLE. IT'S SIMPLY A TECHNICAL
REAPPROPRIATION OF THE
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS THAT ARE
CONNECTED TO THE MAT GRANT
PROGRAM. THE MEDICATION ASSISTED
TREATMENT GRANT PROGRAM. SO IT'S
REALLY TECHNICAL IN NATURE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THAT. SURE. HAPPY TO TAKE ANY
QUESTIONS OKAY. THANK YOU. OUR
NEXT SPEAKER IS RYAN MOYAMOYA.
NÓI LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATE,
CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION OF
COUNTIES. WELL, THANK YOU,
CHAIR, COMMITTEE AND STAFF RYAN
MOORE. MOONEY WITH THE
CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION OF
COUNTIES, AS NOTED, REPRESENTING
ALL 58 COUNTIES, REALLY
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PROVIDE SOME COMMENTS AS IT
RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO THE
PUBLIC DEFENDER PILOT PROGRAM
AND THE PROPOSED CUT OF THE
THIRD AND FINAL YEAR, AND SO THE
PD PILOT FUNDS MUST BE UTILIZED
FOR INDIGENT DEFENSE PROVIDERS
FOR WORKLOADS ASSOCIATED WITH
RECENTLY ENACTED LEGISLATION AS
IT RELATES TO FELONY MURDER,
DISCRETIONARY SENTENCING,
YOUTHFUL OFFENDER PAROLE, AND
INVALID CONVICTIONS BASED ON
IMMIGRATION CONSEQUENCES AND SO,
FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE'D LIKE TO
SHARE THAT THIS FUNDING IS
ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL FOR COUNTIES
IN ALL CORNERS OF OUR STATE,
BOTH LARGE AND SMALL, AND
UTILIZED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.
SO THIS COULD BE FOR SOCIAL
WORKERS, CLINICAL AND
CRIMINOGENIC ASSESSMENTS, CASE
SCREENING, CASE MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS, DATA COLLECTION,
COMMUNITY OUTREACH, BILINGUAL
PARALEGAL ASSISTANCE, LEGAL
SUPPORT TO ADDRESS THE BACKLOGS
AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, SPECIALIZED
COUNSEL AND OTHER VARIOUS
RESOURCES FOR TRAINING
INVESTIGATION. EXCUSE ME?
INVESTIGATIONS AND RESEARCH, AND
ALSO IMPROVED COMMUNICATION WITH
ULTIMATE GOAL OF KIND OF
PROACTIVE CASE REVIEW, SO THAT,
YOU KNOW, COUNTIES CAN PROVIDE
THAT ELIGIBLE LEVEL OF SERVICE
FOR THOSE THAT ARE SEEKING
RELIEF. AND SO THIS, AS WE ALL
KNOW, HAS AN IMPACT ON REENTRY
AND PUBLIC SAFETY AS A LOCAL
LEVEL, AND THEN SECOND, NOT ONLY
DOES THE PILOT FUND THE
PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED SERVICES
AND PROGRAMING, BUT ALSO YIELDS
CONSIDERABLE STATE SAVINGS,
WHICH, AS NOTED IN OUR LARGER
COALITION LETTER, COULD BE 90
ROUGHLY $94 MILLION AS A
CONSERVATIVE PROJECTION, BUT
POTENTIALLY UPWARDS OF $700
MILLION WHEN CONSIDERING THE
ANNUAL PER CAPITA INCARCERATION
COSTS AND OTHER ASSOCIATED
COSTS. AND THEN LASTLY, I'D LIKE
TO QUICKLY NOTE SOME OF THE
BROADER CONTEXT AS IT RELATES,
YOU KNOW, AND THAT IS THE
CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION AND US
CONSTITUTION, BOTH GUARANTEE THE
RIGHTS OF CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS,
INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO A LAWYER
AND EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF
COUNSEL. AND SO THIS PILOT, IS
CURRENTLY THE ONLY STATEWIDE,
MAJOR SOURCE OF FUNDING
ALLOCATED TO COUNTIES FOR THE
PROVISION OF INDIGENT DEFENSE.
AND ALL OTHER FUNDING IS DERIVED
THROUGH THE COUNTY BUDGETING
PROCESS AND A SMALL FRACTION
FROM OUTSIDE GRANTS. AND SO THAT
SAID, THE FUNDING THROUGH THE
PILOT ONLY COVERS A SPECIFIC
SEGMENT OF THEIR TOTAL DUTIES.
AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO
NOTE, BECAUSE IN COUNTIES YOU
QUICKLY LEARN THAT THE ISSUES
CANNOT BE, YOU KNOW, ASSESSED
IN, IN ISOLATION. AND SO FOR
INSTANCE, WITH CHANGING
CASELOADS, GROWING POPULATION
WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT
NEEDS, WORKFORCE SHORTAGES, THE
WANING BUDGET TIMES AND THE
LARGER INITIATIVES SUCH AS CARE
ACT AND PROPOSITION ONE, TO
MENTION A FEW, ALL OF THAT HAS A
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON ON PUBLIC
DEFENSE. AND SO WHILE WE
RECOGNIZE THE DIFFICULT BUDGET
TIMES, WE WOULD APPRECIATE THAT
YOU RETAIN THE FUNDING FOR THIS
PILOT PROGRAM AND VIEW IT AS A
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT SOURCE OF
FUNDING FOR OUR PUBLIC
DEFENDERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR COMMENTS. WE'LL NOW
MOVE TO SKYLER MILES CLINTON,
COB, DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. I
JUST WANT TO REITERATE, MY NAME
IS SKYLER MILES CLINTON COB. I'M
REPRESENTING THE DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE, SO, PARTICULARLY IN
REGARDS TO THIS ISSUE, THIS
PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE
2021 BUDGET ACT AND ITS FUNDS
HAVE BEEN, PERMITTED FOR
INDIGENT DEFENSE PROVIDERS TO
HIRE SOCIAL WORKERS AND BUILD
MORE HOLISTIC DEFENSE TEAMS. BUT
NOTWITHSTANDING THE MERITS OF
THIS PROGRAM, THE ADMINISTRATION
PROPOSES TO REDUCE ONLY THOSE
2023 2024 FUNDS, THAT HAVE NOT
YET BEEN ISSUED TO THE BOARD OF
STATE AND COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS
YET, AT THIS TIME, $100 MILLION
HAS BEEN APPROPRIATED AND ISSUED
BY THE BSC IN 2021 AND 2022, AND
FISCAL YEARS 2022 THROUGH 2023,
THE ADMINISTRATION THEREFORE
BELIEVES THAT GIVEN OUR CURRENT
ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES AND THAT,
$100 MILLION THAT WERE ALREADY
PROVIDED FOR THIS INITIATIVE,
THERE SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT DATA
TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
THIS PROGRAM SO THAT LONGER TIME
DECISIONS MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE
MADE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR COMMENTS, CYNTHIA MENDOZA,
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, I WOULD
JUST ECHO MY COLLEAGUE. THANK
YOU. CAITLIN O'NEIL, LEGISLATIVE
OFFICE. CAITLIN O'NEIL,
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST OFFICE. WE
DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON
EITHER OF THESE TWO PROPOSALS,
BUT ARE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU
SO MUCH, ANY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
ON THIS TOPIC? YES GO AHEAD.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER LACKEY. I THINK
I MADE MY COMMENTS PREVIOUSLY
WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS
PARTICULAR MATTER AND I THEY
HAVE NOT CHANGED. THE FACT IS,
IF ANYTHING, THEY'RE EVEN MORE
FORTIFIED. I WAS, INTERESTED IN
THE LETTER THAT WAS, SUBMITTED
IN OPPOSITION AND, I COULDN'T
AGREE WITH IT MORE WHEN IT
STATED THE, THE COST SAVINGS
THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS YIELDED
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
THE NUMBERS THAT WERE QUOTED IN,
IN THE LETTER WERE BETWEEN 94
AND $781 MILLION. AND EVERYBODY
KNOWS WE'RE IN A DEFICIT
CIRCUMSTANCE. SO WHY WOULD WE BE
CONSIDERING CUTTING A PROGRAM
THAT SAVES MONEY, THAT THAT MAY
BE AN ARGUABLE POSITION. THÀNH,
BUT, I THINK IT'S WORTH
CONSIDERATION. AND EVEN THE
GREATER CONSIDERATION AS ONE OF
THE GREATEST VALUES THAT WE HAVE
IN THIS AMERICAN SOCIETY IS
SEEKING JUSTICE FOR ALL. AND
IT'S ALSO NO SECRET THAT I SPENT
ALMOST 30 YEARS ON THE
ENFORCEMENT SIDE. BUT I DO ALSO
KNOW THAT PROSECUTION IS NOT
WITHOUT OCCASIONAL FLAW. AND SO
WE ABSOLUTELY Kò PEOPLE DESERVE
TO BE DEFENDED. AND WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT THE MOST
VULNERABLE PEOPLE AND WE USE THE
TERMS EQUITY AROUND HERE, A LOT,
THIS SEEMS LIKE IT'S AN AFFRONT
AGAINST THAT EQUITABLE
ARRANGEMENT. AND I, I CLEARLY
THINK THAT THIS IS A POORLY
CONSIDERED, BUDGET CUT AND I
WILL DO EVERYTHING AND SPEAK
AGAINST IT AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY,
BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS NOT
WHERE WE NEED TO BE SEEKING, TO,
TO RECOVER FUNDS, BECAUSE
THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH AT STAKE
HERE. THANK YOU, ASSEMBLYMEMBER
LACKEY ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE
RECEIVED QUITE A NUMBER OF
LETTERS FROM STAKEHOLDERS
OPPOSING THIS PROPOSED CUT IN
THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET.
INVESTMENTS LIKE THIS ARE A
COMMITMENT TO OUR LOCAL PARTNERS
, AND WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING WE
CAN TO LIMIT DISRUPTIONS TO
THEIR OPERATIONS. THESE
RESOURCES ALSO SEEM LIKE THEY
ARE SAVING US MONEY IN THE BACK
END BY REDUCING RISKS TO PUBLIC
SAFETY, SUBSTANCE USE AND
HOMELESSNESS. I KNOW WE HAVE
DIFFICULT BUDGET DECISIONS
AHEAD, BUT TO MAKE A CUT LIKE
THIS SEEMS SHORTSIGHTED AND
WOULD LEAVE US WITH WORSE
OUTCOMES. IT'S MORE OF A COMMENT
TO THAT SO THAT WE COULD GO BACK
AND MAYBE REEVALUATE WHERE WE'RE
AT AND HEARING FROM THOSE ON THE
FRONT LINES, THAT IT IS WORKING
AND A PILOT PROGRAM THAT'S
THERE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. NOW
WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION INTO
ISSUE NUMBER FIVE TO A
ACCOMMODATE TRAVEL SCHEDULES.
AND THOSE THAT WILL BE SPEAKING
THAT I HAVE HERE IS, JANICE
SANFORD MILLER, A DEPUTY
DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF RESEARCH,
CDCR AMY CASAS, DIRECTOR,
DIVISION OF REHABILITATIVE
PROGRAMS, JEANNIE OSHIRO, POLICY
RESEARCHER, TRANSFORMATIVE
PROGRAMING. WORKS JOEL AGUILAR,
JOEL AGUILAR, PROGRAM MANAGER,
CITIZEN COACH, MASS LIBERATION,
AND KWAN NGUYEN, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR, DEFY SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA. AND KENNETH HARTMAN,
DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY TRANSFER,
TRANSFORMATIVE PROGRAMING WORKS.
MISS, WE'RE SEEING ALL ALL GOOD.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS ISSUE FIVE
THAT WE'RE MOVING TO SO WE COULD
ACCOMMODATE TRAVELING SCHEDULES.
SO THANK YOU. AND YOU COULD
SPEAK IN THE ORDER WITH JANICE
SANFORD MILLER GOING FIRST.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR.
CHAIR. AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS JANICE
SANFORD MILLER, AND I'M THE
ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR THE
OFFICE OF RESEARCH. I AM HERE TO
PROVIDE THE COMMITTEE A BRIEF
OVERVIEW OF THE STATEWIDE
RECIDIVISM REPORT FOR
INDIVIDUALS RELEASED FROM CDCR
IN FISCAL YEAR 2018 2019. CDCR
TRACKS INDIVIDUALS FOR THREE
YEARS FOLLOWING THE DATE OF
THEIR RELEASE. THE 1819 REPORT
IS OUR MOST RECENT AND
REPRESENTS A COHORT OF 36,086
INDIVIDUALS. THE THREE YEAR
CONVICTION RATE FOR THIS COHORT
IS 41.9, AND OF THOSE CONVICTED,
50.3% OF THOSE WERE FOR
MISDEMEANOR CRIMES. IN ADDITION
TO THE STATEWIDE REPORT, CDCR
ALSO PUBLISHES SEVERAL
SUPPLEMENTAL REPORTS, BEGINNING
WITH THIS COHORT. CDCR WILL ALSO
PROVIDE RECIDIVISM RATES FOR
INDIVIDUALS WHO OBTAIN ACADEMIC,
EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS, CAREER
TECHNICAL EDUCATION ACHIEVEMENTS
, AND COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL
PROGRAM ACHIEVEMENTS. WE
ANTICIPATE THE RELEASE OF THIS
DATA TO OUR WEBSITE SOON AND THE
FULL SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT LATER
THIS SUMMER. THIS IS THE SECOND
COHORT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE
IMPACTED BY THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF PROPOSITION 57, WHICH BEGAN
IN MAY 2017. THE DATA FOR
INDIVIDUALS WITH ENHANCED CREDIT
EARNINGS UNDER PROPOSITION 57 IS
ENCOURAGING, WITH AN OVERALL
THREE YEAR CONVICTION RATE OF
39.2. FOR THOSE WITH CREDIT
EARNINGS, COMPARED TO 45.6% FOR
THOSE WITHOUT. WHEN WE DRILL
DOWN INTO THE SPECIFIC CREDIT
EARNING CATEGORIES, INDIVIDUALS
EARNING MILESTONE COMPLETION
CREDITS HAVE A THREE YEAR
CONVICTION RATE OF 39.8,
FOLLOWED BY THOSE WITH
EDUCATIONAL MILESTONE CREDITS AT
26.1% AND FINALLY,
REHABILITATIVE ACHIEVEMENT
CREDITS, WHICH INCLUDES SOME OF
THE PROGRAMS REPRESENTED HERE
TODAY AT 21.1. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS,
JEAN OSHIRO, GOOD AFTERNOON,
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS JENNY OSHIRO. I'M A
POLICY RESEARCHER FOR THE FOR
TRANSFORMATIVE PROGRAMING WORKS,
ALSO KNOWN AS THE PTP. WE
REPRESENT 99 COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING HIGH
QUALITY, REHABILITATIVE AND
TRANSFORMATIVE PROGRAMING INSIDE
ALL OF CALIFORNIA'S PRISONS, AND
I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
UPLIFT THIS MOMENT IN TIME AS
BOTH FULL OF OPPORTUNITY BUT
ALSO SOMEWHAT URGENT.
CALIFORNIA'S LEADERSHIP,
INCLUDING THE LEGISLATURE, HAS
COMMITTED TO TRANSFORMING
CALIFORNIA'S PRISON SYSTEM
BECAUSE WE'RE HOUSING
INDIVIDUALS AS HARMFUL FOR
EVERYONE. I'VE HEARD DIFFERENT
IDEAS ON HOW TO TRANSFORM THE
SYSTEM, AND I'M SURE YOU'VE
HEARD THEM ALL, TOO. AND WHILE
WE DON'T PROMISE TO HAVE THE
ONLY WAY, YOU JUST HEARD FROM
CDCR, THE LATEST RECIDIVISM
REPORT SHOWS THAT THOSE WHO
PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMING ARE
LESS LIKELY TO RETURN TO PRISON,
AND IMPORTANTLY, THOSE WHO
PARTICIPATED IN RAC ACCREDITED
PROGRAMING PROGRAMS THAT ARE RUN
BY COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS
. RECIDIVATE, AT A RATE OF 21.
THIS RECIDIVISM RATE IS ON PAR
WITH SCANDINAVIAN MODELS, THAT
HAVE THE LOWEST RATES IN THE
WORLD. THIS IS KEY WHEN WE'RE
THINKING ABOUT SMART SOLUTIONS
THAT CALIFORNIA MIGHT INVEST IN.
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE NUMBERS
FROM CDCR, AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE
ABOUT THE IMPACT OF PROGRAMS
FROM MY COLLEAGUES. BUT WHAT
MAKES COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS
DIFFERENT? THEY'RE RUN BY
MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE
OFTEN FROM THE COMMUNITIES THAT
ARE MOST IMPACTED BY
INCARCERATION. THEY ARE OFTEN
LED AND RUN BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE
EXPERIENCED INCARCERATION
THEMSELVES, WHO RETURN AS
CREDIBLE MESSENGERS TO HELP
THOSE WHO ARE STILL THERE.
BECAUSE CBOS ORIGINATE FROM THE
COMMUNITY, THEY ARE ALSO OFTEN
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE TO
RECEIVE THEM. UPON THEIR
RELEASE. I OFFER THIS TO YOU
TODAY IN MY PROFESSIONAL
CAPACITY AS A POLICY RESEARCHER
AND MY ACADEMIC CAPACITY AS A
DOCTORAL STUDENT WHO STUDIES IN
PRISON PROGRAMS IN CALIFORNIA.
BUT I ALSO OFFER THIS TO YOU AS
SOMEBODY WHO'S EXPERIENCED
INCARCERATION AND UNDERSTANDS
THE URGENCY OF CONTINUED
PROGRESS AND INVESTMENT. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. AS NOW WE MOVE TO
JOELLE AGUILAR. YEAH. GOOD
AFTERNOON MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
JOEL AGUILAR AND I WORK FOR MASS
LIBERATION AS A RETURNING
CITIZEN COACH AND A PROGRAM
MANAGER. I STAND HERE TODAY AS
LIVING PROOF OF THE LIFE
CHANGING IMPACT OF COMMUNITY
BASED PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR
CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES. THESE
PROGRAMS HAVE SHAPED MY PERSONAL
GROWTH AND EQUIP ME WITH
ESSENTIAL TOOLS FOR BECOMING A
RESPONSIBLE AND CONTRIBUTING
MEMBER OF SOCIETY, PARTICIPATING
IN THESE INITIATIVES HAS BEEN
NOTHING SHORT OF TRANSFORMATIVE
FOR ME. THEY HAVE SHIFTED MY
MINDSET, HEIGHTENED MY SELF
AWARENESS, AND PROVIDED ME WITH
PRACTICAL COMMUNICATION AND
PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS. THESE
INVALUABLE SKILLS HAVE BEEN
INSTRUMENTAL AS I NAVIGATE THE
COMPLEXITIES OF THE REAL WORLD.
YET THE CONTRAST BETWEEN
ENVIRONMENTS WITH AND WITHOUT
THESE PROGRAMS IS STARK. IN
FACILITIES LACKING SUCH
INITIATIVES AS VIOLENCE,
HOPELESSNESS AND DEMORALIZATION
WERE RAMPANT. I GRAPPLE WITH
FEELINGS OF SHAME, STIGMA AND
ALIENATION, LEADING TO PERIODS
OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY.
INADEQUATE PROGRAMING IMPEDES
SKILLS AND HINDERS INTEGRATION
INTO INTO SOCIETY. IT LEAVES
INDIVIDUALS STRUGGLING TO FACE
INDEPENDENT CHOICES AND FORM
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. AS I AS A
REENTRY LIFE COACH AND PROGRAM
MANAGER FOR MASS LIBERATION, I
HAVE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE
CHALLENGES MY PEERS FACE WHEN
THEY LACK ACCESS TO THESE
CRUCIAL PROGRAMS. WITH ADEQUATE
SUPPORT, THE REENTRY PROCESS
BECOMES A MANAGEABLE UPHILL
BATTLE. THIS IS WHERE THE
NONPROFIT SECTOR, EXEMPLIFIED BY
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS,
BECOMES INDISPENSABLE. THESE
ORGANIZATIONS SERVES AS A VITAL
LINK IN THE CONTINUUM OF CARE,
OFFERING PROGRAMS THAT FOSTER
GROWTH, REHABILITATION, AND
SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATION INTO
SOCIETY. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE TO
PROVIDE SUFFICIENT PROGRAMING IS
UNDENIABLE. WITH FAR REACHING
NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES. I IMPLORE
YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE PIVOTAL
ROLE OF COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CORRECTIONS
SYSTEM BY PRIORITIZING FUNDING
AND SUPPORT FOR THESE
INITIATIVES, WE CAN EMPOWER
INDIVIDUALS TO BUILD BRIGHTER
FUTURES AND CONTRIBUTE
POSITIVELY TO SOCIETY. LET US
SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EFFECT
CHANGE AND ENSURE EVERYONE CAN
ACCESS THE PROGRAMS THEY NEED TO
THRIVE, REGARDLESS OF
CIRCUMSTANCE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME AND CONSIDERATION. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. SO NOW WE
MOVE TO, QUYNH NGUYEN, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR, DEFI, SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA. GOOD AFTERNOON, MY
NAME IS QUAN NGUYEN. I'M THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE FIVE
INCHES SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. OUR
MISSION IS TO SHIFT MINDSETS TO
GIVE PEOPLE WITH CRIMINAL
HISTORIES THEIR BEST SHOT AT A
SECOND CHANCE, WE RUN A PROGRAM
IN THE PRISONS CALLED THE CEO OF
UNI LIFE. SEVEN MONTH TRAINING,
OVER 2000 PAGES OF CURRICULUM.
IT CULMINATES IN A BUSINESS
PITCH COMPETITION THAT'S JUDGED
SHARK TANK STYLE FROM OUR
BUSINESS VOLUNTEERS THAT COME IN
FROM THE BUSINESS WORLD WITH US,
84% OF OUR GRADS FIND WORK
WITHIN THE FIRST 90 DAYS. UPON
RELEASE, OUR RECIDIVISM NUMBERS
AT DEFI VENTURES IS LESS THAN
15% AT THE THREE YEAR MARK. I
MYSELF AM ALSO A GRADUATE OF THE
PROGRAM, I'VE DONE 22 YEARS OF
MY LIFE IN CORRECTIONAL
FACILITIES. I CAME HOME IN 2015,
CREATED MY FIRST COMPANY SIX
MONTHS AFTER THAT, AND NOW I GET
TO OVERSEE OUR PROGRAM DELIVERY
OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. SO I
GET TO SEE THE IMPACT OF THE
WORK. I KNOW FIRSTHAND WHEN I
WAS IN PRISON AT THE AT THE
YARDS THAT DIDN'T HAVE PROGRAMS,
BUT I ALSO AM A, A RECIPIENT OF
PRISON YARDS THAT HAD PROGRAMS.
SO I'M HERE JUST TO BE TESTAMENT
TO THE POWER OF PRISON PROGRAMS
AND HOW IT COULD WORK. I'M
HONORED TO BE A PART OF THE TP
COALITION, WHERE I GET TO SEE,
LIKE, OUR IMPACT IN THESE PRISON
YARDS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR.
NGUYEN. NEXT WE'LL GO TO KENNETH
HARTMAN, DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY,
TRANSFORM FORMATIVE PROGRAMING
WORKS. THANK YOU. CHAIR. MY NAME
IS KEN HARTMAN. I'M THE ADVOCACY
DIRECTOR FOR THE PTP. I SERVE 38
YEARS IN THE CDCR BEFORE I
PAROLED IN 2017. SINCE THEN,
I'VE WORKED TO LIVE UP TO MY
PROMISES TO THE PEOPLE I LEFT
BEHIND. AND THE BOARD OF PAROLE
HEARINGS. I PROMISE TO LIVE A
LIFE OF MAKING AMENDS TO SOCIETY
THE BEST WAY I KNOW HOW TO DO
THIS IS TO WORK TO BRING THE
KINDS OF PROGRAMS THAT HELPED ME
BECOME BETTER THAN MY WORST
MOMENTS INTO MORE PRISONS, SO
MORE PEOPLE INSIDE WILL HAVE THE
BENEFITS OF THESE PROGRAMS. IT'S
WHAT DRIVES ME TO DO WHAT I DO.
THERE'S NO SECRET WHY COMMUNITY
BASED REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS
ARE SO SUCCESSFUL. IT'S IN THEIR
NAME AND IT'S IN OUR
ORGANIZATION'S ETHOS. THEY ARE
COMMUNITY DRIVEN, COMING FROM A
PLACE OF COMPASSION AND
UNDERSTANDING. THEY ARE ALSO
TRANSFORMATIVE, WORKING TO GUIDE
AND SUPPORT PEOPLE LIKE ME INTO
BECOMING BETTER PEOPLE. THESE
PROGRAMS RELY ON LIVED
EXPERIENCE AND ON BEING
ACCOUNTABLE TO THE COMMUNITIES
MOST IMPACTED BY INCARCERATION.
AND WHILE WE ARE DEEPLY
APPRECIATIVE OF THE OUTCOMES
WE'VE HEARD ABOUT TODAY FROM
CDCR, WE'RE ALSO EVER MORE
COMMITTED TO SEEING THESE
OPPORTUNITIES SPREAD THROUGHOUT
THE PRISONS. THESE ARE
CHALLENGING TIMES, I KNOW, BUT
MAKING WISE INVESTMENTS IN
PROGRAMS THAT DRIVE DOWN
RECIDIVISM, WHICH OUR PROGRAMS
DO, SEEMS LIKE THE BEST POLICY
CHOICE TO ME. AND I JUST HAVE TO
REITERATE WHAT MY COLLEAGUE
GINNY SAID EARLIER. I MEAN, THIS
IS A MOMENT IN TIME WHERE WE'RE
SITTING HERE TALKING TO YOU
ABOUT PROGRAMS IN PRISON, AND
IT'S FOR PEOPLE WHO'VE SERVED
TIME SITTING AROUND SOMEONE FROM
CDCR. I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT MOMENT OF WE'RE ALL
TRYING TO MOVE THIS TO A BETTER
PLACE TO GET THIS SYSTEM TO WORK
BETTER. I WANT TO THANK THE
COMMITTEE CHAIR, RAMOS, MR.
LACKEY, AND TO MR. MCCARTY,
ALONG WITH YOUR DILIGENT AND
EXCEPTIONALLY TALENTED STAFF,
THANK YOU ALSO TO DIRECTOR
CASILLAS, WHO HAS DONE WONDERFUL
WORK WITH US AND MISS SANFORD
MILLER, LAST AND CERTAINLY NOT
LEAST, I WANT TO THANK MY
FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES HERE WITH
ME TODAY. YOUR WILLINGNESS TO BE
VULNERABLE AND OPEN INSPIRES ME.
NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE
WITHOUT ALL OF US WORKING
TOGETHER. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE
HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR COMMENTS AND TRULY THE PEER
TO PEER TESTIMONY REALLY BRINGS
IT FULL CIRCLE, IS THERE ANY
QUESTIONS FROM COLLEAGUES FROM
THE DAIS? I HAVE NO QUESTIONS,
BUT I DO HAVE A COMMENT THAT
WHEN IT COMES TO REHABILITATION
PROGRAMS, IT SEEMS LIKE MY
OBSERVATIONS HAVE BEEN, WHAT
MAKES, REHABILITATION SO
SUCCESSFUL USUALLY IS, IS THE
INMATE THEMSELVES OR THE PERSON
THAT'S INCARCERATED. THEY'RE THE
ONES THAT HAVE TO, CHANGE THEIR
PERSPECTIVE. AND I, I THINK THAT
ONE OF THE MOST UNDERUTILIZED
TOOLS THAT WE HAVE ARE PEOPLE
LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE
PANEL HERE THAT HAVE HAD
SUCCESSFUL REHABILITATION. AND
WHY WE DON'T USE THEM MORE IS A
MYSTERY TO ME, BECAUSE PEOPLE
THAT HAVE MY LIFE EXPERIENCE AND
THAT LOOK LIKE ME, THAT GO INTO
PRISONS, I LAUGHED AT AND THEY
SHOULD BE LAUGHED AT BECAUSE WE
DON'T RELATE AND THE ONLY WAY
THAT YOU REACH PEOPLE THAT HAVE
MADE DECISIONS THAT HAVE GOT
THEM INTO PRISON IS TO RELATE
AND BE RELATABLE. AND I THINK
ONE OF THE MOST UNDERUTILIZED
ASPECTS THAT OUR SYSTEM DOES NOT
REALIZE IS THE PEER TO PEER
RELATIONSHIP. AND I HOPE THAT
WE'LL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO, TAP
INTO THAT, BECAUSE I THINK
THAT'S THE REAL FUTURE OF
CHANGE. I DON'T CARE HOW GOOD A
PROGRAM COULD BE, UNLESS THAT
THAT PERSON REALLY WANTS TO
CHANGE. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO.
AND VERY FEW THAT I HAVE
ENCOUNTERED IN MY PRISON VISITS
HAVE A HIGH DEGREE OF MOTIVATION
TO CHANGE, BECAUSE THERE'S JUST
A LOT OF ANGER, THERE'S A LOT OF
OTHER VERY TOXIC ENERGY THAT
THEY'VE EXPERIENCED. THEIR TRUST
LEVELS ARE VERY, VERY LOW. AND
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A HIGH
RECIDIVISM RATE IS BECAUSE WE
HAVEN'T REACHED THOSE PEOPLE,
AND THEY HAVEN'T MADE THE
DECISION TO CHANGE. AND UNTIL
THEY DO, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO.
AND I JUST HOPE THAT THESE
PROGRAMS, THAT THEY'RE STILL
WORTH TRYING. AND I THINK THAT,
EVERYBODY WINS IN A
REHABILITATIVE CIRCUMSTANCE
SENSE. AND WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO
BE, FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THAT
SITUATION. BUT I DO HOPE THAT WE
WILL MORE UTILIZE THE PEER TO
PEER RELATIONSHIP, BECAUSE YOU
ARE THE ONES THAT ARE MESSENGERS
THAT, CAN REACH THESE PEOPLE.
AND SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ARE
STILL IN PRISON THAT WE COULD BE
UTILIZING AS WELL. I MEAN, SOME
OF THE PROGRAMS, SOME OF THE
HONOR CAMPS HAVE PEOPLE THAT
REALLY DO WANT TO CHANGE, AND,
WE SHOULD USE THEM AS WELL. SO
THAT'S MY ONLY REMARKS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, ASSEMBLYMEMBER
LACKEY. AND, REALLY SPEAKING TO
THAT, THAT TESTIMONY TO HAVE YOU
ALL HERE, TESTIFYING HERE AT THE
STATE LEGISLATURE IN SUB6 ON
PUBLIC SAFETY, AND HIGHLIGHTING
WHAT TRULY DOES WORK. I THINK,
YOU KNOW, MISS OSHIRO, IF YOU
CAN SHARE ONE RECOMMENDATION,
THÀNH, THAT WOULD HELP US TO
CONTINUE ON THIS POSITIVE PATH,
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THAT
OPPORTUNITY NOW. NO PRESSURE.
RIGHT? YEAH THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR THE QUESTION. I THINK YOU
KNOW WHAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM ALL
OF US IS JUST THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN AND YOU KNOW, THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRISONS THAT
HAVE PROGRAMS AND PRISONS THAT
DON'T. YOU KNOW, OUR HOPE IS
THAT EVERYONE WHO'S
INCARCERATED, WHO WANTS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PROGRAM, HAS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PROGRAM WITH A
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION,
AND OUR MEMBERS, WITH 99 OF
THEM, WERE ABLE TO REACH, A
LARGE PORTION OF THE POPULATION.
BUT WE DO HAVE WAITLISTS THAT
ARE YEARS LONG, AND SO JUST THE
OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND
PROGRAMING, AND SO THAT EVERYONE
WHO WANTS TO PROGRAM HAS THAT
OPPORTUNITY K¾T, AS CAN ALWAYS
SAYS, TO BECOME BETTER THAN
THEIR WORST MOMENTS. BUT THANK
YOU FOR THAT. AND I WILL OPEN IT
UP FOR OTHERS IF THEY WISH TO
SPEAK, I THINK I WOULD. THE ONLY
THING I WOULD ADD TO WHAT JENNY
JUST SAID IS, I THINK THAT
INVESTING IN THESE PROGRAMS, I
THINK THAT'S THE WAY TO LOOK AT
IT. IT'S AN INVESTMENT. I MEAN,
IT'S AS AS WAS TESTIFIED HERE,
THE RECIDIVISM RATE IS LESS THAN
HALF FOR PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED
IN THESE KIND OF PROGRAMS THAN
PEOPLE WHO DID NOT. I MEAN, THAT
IS A HUGE STATISTIC. THAT'S NOT
LIKE A BLIP. THAT'S BIG. AND I
THINK THAT THAT'S BECAUSE OF
THIS LEGISLATURE'S COMMITMENT TO
CONTINUING TO INVEST IN THESE
PROGRAMS, HELP EXPAND THEM. AND
I THINK THE MORE WE CAN DO THAT,
THE MORE THESE OUTCOMES WILL GET
BETTER AND BETTER. AND AS A
PERSON WHO PARTICIPATED IN THESE
PROGRAMS MYSELF, I KNOW THEY
WORK AND I'VE SEEN HOW THEY WORK
WITH FOLKS, AND I WOULD NOT BE
HERE TODAY IF I HAD NOT
PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAMS,
SOME OF WHICH I REPRESENT NOW.
SO IT'S A IT'S A POWERFUL
TURNAROUND MOMENT FOR ME. WELL,
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
ALL OF YOUR TESTIMONY AND
HOPEFULLY WE'RE ABLE TO GET YOU
TO MEET YOUR TRAVELING
ARRANGEMENTS TO GET YOU BACK TO
WHERE YOU NEED TO BE. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. AS NOW WE TRANSITION TO
ISSUE NUMBER TWO. THANK YOU, MR.
RAMOS. WE APPRECIATED THAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.
ISSUE NUMBER TWO WILL BE THE
OVERVIEW OF THE OFFICE OF YOUTH
AND COMMUNITY RESTORATION.
CATHERINE LUCERO, JOSEPH
DONALDSON, ALLISON HEWITT,
ORLANDO SANCHEZ ZAVALA FROM THE
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE.
AND KATHLEEN LUCERO, DIRECTOR OF
OFFICE OF YOUTH AND COMMUNITY
RESTORATION. WHENEVER YOU'RE
READY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU,
VERY MUCH, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
RAMOS, MY NAME IS CATHERINE
LUCERO, AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF
THE OFFICE OF YOUTH AND
COMMUNITY RESTORATION. I DID
WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, I'M ALSO A
FORMER PROSECUTOR AND SAT ON THE
BENCH FOR 22 YEARS, AND I
COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH THE
LAST, LAST, GROUP OF FOLKS. OIC
WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE
STATEWIDE LEADERSHIP AND
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN Kò YOUTH
POLICY AREAS TO ALL JUVENILE
JUSTICE STAKEHOLDERS FOR AN END
TO END TRANSFORMATION OF THE
JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM, WHICH
CONTINUES TO HOLD YOUTH
ACCOUNTABLE, IMPLEMENTS POSITIVE
YOUTH JUSTICE PRACTICES AND
INCREASES COMMUNITY SAFETY.
ACCESS TO QUALITY PROGRAMS SUCH
AS HEALTH CARE, BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH TREATMENT, EDUCATION, AND
VOCATIONAL TRAINING ARE THE
CENTRAL TENETS OF WHAT OIC R
PROVIDES, AND TO DATE, WE HAVE
PROVIDED OVER 150 INSTANCES OF
TO CONNECTING SYSTEM PARTNERS TO
RESOURCES AND PROVIDING
INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE. WE'VE
CONDUCTED A SERIES OF WEBINARS
TO HELP COUNTIES UNDERSTAND
PROMISING AND EVIDENCE BASED
PRACTICES THAT KEEPS HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES PRIORITIES, AS
WELL AS PUBLIC SAFETY AT THE
FOREFRONT. WE HAVE TRAINED
HUNDREDS OF PARTNERS, MANY OF
THEM BEING FROM THE PROBATION
DEPARTMENTS. WE ALSO HAVE ISSUED
SEVERAL POLICY BRIEFS AS WE DO
THINK THAT WE ARE POLICY LEADERS
AROUND THIS TOPIC, SPECIFICALLY
SPECIFIC TO CAL AIM, WE ARE
WORKING WITH THE CBOS, WITH
LIVED EXPERIENCE STAFF TO
CONTRACT WITH MANAGED CARE
PLANS, TO PROVIDE ENHANCED CARE
MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO YOUTH. WE
HAVE ALLOCATED FUNDING TO LESS
RESTRICTIVE PROGRAMS FOR 11
COUNTIES TO PROVIDE PILOT SITES
THAT STEP YOUTH OUT OF THE
CARCERAL SYSTEM ITSELF, AND INTO
A COMMUNITY BASED PLACEMENT WITH
HIGH TOUCH MODELS THAT INVOLVE
ECONOMIC SUPPORT AND CREDIBLE
MESSENGERS FOR OUR EMERGING
ADULTS. UPON RELEASE FROM
DETENTION FACILITIES IN 2023, WE
CONDUCTED 41 SITE VISITS, MET
WITH 78 CBOS AND ATTENDED 147
PUBLIC COUNTY MEETINGS IN ORDER
TO DISCERN THE NEEDS OF THE
COUNTY. DURING THIS REALIGNMENT,
WE HAVE ALSO COMMITTED FUNDS TO
OUR CBO CAPACITY BUILDING OIC.
OUR HAS FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THE
FRAMEWORK THAT CENTERS RACIAL
AND ETHNIC EQUITY, GUIDING US TO
REVIEW DATA DISAGGREGATED BY
RACE, ETHNICITY, Kò, GENDER,
GEOGRAPHY, AND SOGIE IN THOSE
INSTANCES, IT ALLOWS US TO
CREATE TAILORED STRATEGIES LIKE
OUR CAMPAIGN TO END THE
INCARCERATION OF GIRLS AND
GENDER EXPANSIVE YOUTH WHO ARE
LOW AND MEDIUM RISK TO PUBLIC
SAFETY, AND TO FOCUS ON THE
EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF OUR
NATIVE AMERICAN YOUTH WHO ARE
LOCATED IN OUR JUVENILE JUSTICE
SYSTEM, FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF ICWA, FOR THE INCARCERATED
YOUTH, BOTH QUALITY K THROUGH 12
EDUCATION AND HIGHER EDUCATION,
FOR CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
YOUTH WHO ARE INCARCERATED AND
TO HAVE EQUAL OUTCOMES OF THEIR
PRIMARY CULTURE. PEERS. WE HAVE
ASSISTED IN COUNTIES GETTING
COLLEGE PREP COURSES, COLLEGE
CLASSES, AND PROVIDED TO
PARTNERS FOR LITERACY LITERACY
PROGRAMS. WE'RE ALSO RUNNING A
PILOT IN ONE COUNTY. WE
PUBLISHED A FIRST OF ITS KIND
REPORT CALLED BUILDING HIGHER
EDUCATION PATHWAYS FOR
INCARCERATED YOUTH IN
CALIFORNIA. AND WE'RE WORKING
CLOSELY WITH THE RISING SCHOLARS
AND PROJECT REBOUND. WE ALSO
HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION,
WHERE WE ARE DEVELOPING TEN
PILOT SITES AND LOOKING AT
NAVIGATOR AND LIVED EXPERIENCE
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COACHES IS
APPROACHING THE REFORM WORK
ACROSS THE STAKEHOLDER SYSTEM.
WE ENGAGE COUNTY OFFICES OF
EDUCATION, PROBATION, BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH, JUDGES, DA'S, VICTIM
ADVOCATES, DEFENDERS, SOCIAL
SERVICES, YOUTH ADVOCATES, CBOS
AND YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE
ARE BUILDING STATEWIDE LEVEL
REFORM WITH OUR SISTER AGENCIES,
MAKING SURE THAT THESE YOUTH ARE
ON ALL OF OUR HEALTH CARE
AGENDAS. THAT'S PROBABLY MY TIME
. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH, FOR
YOUR COMMENTS ON THAT AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF BRINGING ALL,
DIVERSITIES INTO THE FOLD, IN
DISCUSSING, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU
TALKED ABOUT ICWA, I APPRECIATE
THAT. NOW WE'LL MOVE TO, MR.
JOSEPH DONALDSON, DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. YEAH. THANK YOU. JOSEPH
DONALDSON DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE,
NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AT THIS
TIME, BUT HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. ALLISON
HEWITT, DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE.
ALLISON HEWITT, DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE NOTHING TO ADD AT THIS
TIME, BUT HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. THANK YOU.
ORLANDO SANCHEZ ZAVALA. ELIO
ALSO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. GOT TO GET
YOU ON THE AGENDA HERE. ELIO.
DREW SOLBERG. ELIO, DREW.
SODERBERG. ELIO. ALSO JUST HERE
TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
I HAD TO ADD TO THE NOTES A
LITTLE BIT, BUT THANK YOU FOR
THIS. AND IMPORTANT TOPIC AND
REALLY, MOVES FORWARD, ON SOME
THINGS THAT THAT I TRULY BELIEVE
ON AND, AND IT'S INTERVENTIONS,
WITH OUR YOUTH, HAVING MORE
INTERVENTION DOLLARS, RESOURCES
FOR OUR YOUTH THAT ARE IN OUR,
IN OUR STATE. AND I BELIEVE IT
SHOULD BE MORE PROACTIVE, RIGHT,
THAN REACTIVE TO THE THINGS THAT
THAT WE SEE, BEFORE THIS
COMMITTEE AND PRIOR TO COMING
INTO THE JUSTICE SYSTEM, BECAUSE
THE SYSTEM CAN SOMETIMES DO MORE
HARM THAN GOOD WHEN SOMEONE'S
PUT INTO THAT, CATAPULTED INTO
THAT, INTO THAT ARENA. BUT ON
THE FLIP SIDE, CAN YOU, ONE CAN
ARGUE THAT THE JUVENILE JUSTICE
SYSTEM SHOULD SERVE AS
PREVENTION FOR YOUTH FROM
ENTERING THE ADULT CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM. SO LOOKING AT
THOSE RESOURCES AND WHAT WE JUST
TALKED ABOUT IN THE PRIOR PANEL
TO CAN YOU EXPLAIN IN WHAT WAYS
YOUR OFFICE SUPPORTS, THESE TWO
TYPES OF PREVENTION STRATEGIES,
DIVERSION, SPECIFICALLY YOUTH
INTERVENTION? YES WELL, OUR
OFFICE IS VERY SPECIFICALLY I
NEED TO LET YOU KNOW HAS BEEN
FOCUSED ON THESE REALIGNMENT
YOUTH FROM DJ, THEY HAVE COME
BACK TO THE COUNTIES AND ARE
LIVING IN FORMER JUVENILE
DETENTION CENTERS. SO I JUST
WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THAT'S
BEEN A HUGE FOCUS OF OUR OF OUR
WORK. HOWEVER WE ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT DIVERSION CAN Ó, HAVE THE
LAST NUMBERS THAT I SAW. IT'S UP
TO 70% OF THE YOUTH WHO, ARE
DIVERTED. NEVER. THEY'RE NEVER
SEEN AGAIN. I WOULD PROPOSE THAT
WE HAVE MORE LAW ENFORCEMENT,
CITY LEVEL DIVERSION PROGRAMS SO
THAT AN OFFICER HAS A PLACE TO
TAKE A YOUTH TO A CBO. AND THAT
IS ALSO WHY WE'RE DEVELOPING CBO
CAPACITY. BECAUSE REALLY, IF A
IF AN OFFICER CAN TAKE A YOUTH
TO A CBO, THAT CAN BE, THE
DIVERSION REMEDY, THAT YOUTH MAY
NEVER COME BACK TO A JUSTICE
SYSTEM. A LOT OF THE DATA THAT
WE HAVE IS THE DATA, BECAUSE THE
YOUTH ENTERED THE JUSTICE SYSTEM
. SO AT THE NUMBERS THAT I CAN
TALK ABOUT TODAY ARE
SPECIFICALLY YOUTH WHO ARE
JUSTICE SYSTEM INVOLVED. BUT
THERE'S A LOT OF COUNTIES, EVEN
IN MY COUNTY, SANTA CLARA, THAT
HAVE POLICE DIVERSION. AND
THAT'S SO THAT'S BEFORE THEY
EVEN GET TO THE COURTHOUSE DOOR.
THAT IS WHERE OUR, FOCUS IS ON
THE CONTINUUM. THIS IS A
CONTINUUM OF INTERVENTION. AND
SO WE HAVE DIVERSION. AND
THERE'S SEVERAL KINDS OF
DIVERSION. THERE'S POLICE
DIVERSION, THERE'S PROBATION
DIVERSION, AND THERE'S COURT
DIVERSION, SO I WHOLEHEARTEDLY
AGREE THAT THAT IS A FOCUS THAT
WE NEED TO BE VERY, INTENTIONAL
ABOUT. AND WE DO HAVE A SYSTEMS
CHANGE AND EQUITY DIVISION THAT
WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH CBOS TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE WHAT
THEY NEED FOR DIVERSION. BUT
ALSO THE I BELIEVE THAT THE
MEDI-CAL REFORM IS GOING TO HELP
WITH WELLNESS COACHES, PEER
SUPPORTS, THAT KIND OF THING.
AND WE HAVE HIRED SOMEBODY
SPECIFICALLY TO WORK WITH CBOS
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY
UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN GET
THEIR FOLKS THAT ARE ALREADY
DOING REALLY GOOD WORK.
QUALIFIED FOR THESE THESE PUBLIC
DOLLARS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THAT. AND IT TRULY IS,
GETTING ENGAGED AND HAVING, SOME
TYPE OF, INTERVENTION EARLY IN
SOME OF THESE CATEGORIES,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER LACKEY, DID YOU
HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, NO. NO,
AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. AS NOW WE MOVE TO THE LAST
ISSUE FOR THIS PANEL. AND THAT
WILL MOVE ON TO ISSUE THREE.
THANK YOU. AND WE'LL START WITH
MISS LUCERO. ACTUALLY, I'M GOING
TO, DIRECTOR HOWARD IS ALSO
JOINING FROM BSC. THANK YOU.
CHAIR WITH THE ADDITION OF MR.
HOWARD, COULD I ASK A QUESTION
REAL QUICKLY BEFORE WE
TRANSITION TO THIS ON ISSUE ON
ISSUE TWO, IF IT'S OKAY BECAUSE
IT'S DIRECTED ON THIS. YEAH.
FINE PERSON HERE. WHEN GRANTS
ARE TRANSFERRED FROM BSC. TO.
OKAY. I GUESS I'M READY FOR
THREE. I'M PREMATURE. SORRY.
THAT'S OKAY. YEAH. THANK YOU, AS
WE NOW MOVE TO ISSUE THREE WITH
THE INCLUSION OF DIRECTOR OF
MISS HOWARD. YES. THANK YOU.
HELLO AGAIN, I'M KATIE HOWARD,
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
BSC. AND AS THIS ISSUE HAS TO DO
WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSFER OF
CERTAIN GRANTS FROM THE BSC TO
OIC, OUR DIRECTOR, LUCERO AND I
WANTED TO TAG TEAM ON THE
PRESENTATION, AND TO JUST GIVE A
REAL HIGH LEVEL INTRO TO THE
BUDGET CHANGE PROPOSAL THAT WAS
INCLUDED IN THE JANUARY BUDGET
TO, TRANSFER TO THE TITLE TWO
FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAM FROM THE
BSC TO ICRW. AND AS I'M SURE THE
MEMBERS ARE AWARE, IN SB 823
FROM 2020, WHICH WAS THE MAJOR,
LEGISLATION THAT DIRECTED THE
JUVENILE JUSTICE REALIGNMENT,
THAT INCLUDED A PROVISION THAT
DIRECTS ALL JUVENILE JUSTICE
GRANTS WOULD TRANSITION FROM BSC
TO ICR, AS IS NOTED IN THE
AGENDA. SO WHAT WE HAVE IN THE
BCP IS ONE OF THE REALLY
SIGNIFICANT JUVENILE JUSTICE
GRANTS THAT OUR OFFICE HAS
ADMINISTERED FOR MANY YEARS,
IT'S A PART OF THE FEDERAL
JUVENILE AND JUVENILE JUSTICE
AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ACT,
OR JJDPA, WHICH IS, GENERALLY
SPEAKING, A MAJOR FEDERAL
LEGISLATION THAT INCLUDES
FUNDING FOR SYSTEM REFORM
ACTIVITIES IN THE JUVENILE
JUSTICE ARENA. SO SQUARELY
WITHIN THE WHEELHOUSE THAT ICR
IS WORKING ON, IT INCLUDES,
FUNDING FOR GRANTS,
APPROXIMATELY $4 MILLION
ANNUALLY AND ALSO INCLUDES A
GOVERNOR APPOINTED STATE
ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON JUVENILE
JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY
PREVENTION. WE'VE BEEN IN CLOSE
PARTNERSHIP WITH ICRW ON THE
PLANNING OF THE TRANSFER, SO
I'LL LET DIRECTOR LUCERO TAKE IT
FROM HERE. ALL RIGHT. YES OUR
OFFICE HAS BEEN MEETING WITH BSC
, REGULARLY SINCE I CAME TO THE
DIRECTORSHIP IN JANUARY OF 2022.
AND WE HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY
PREPARING TO TAKE, THE GRANTS AS
INDICATED BY THE STATUTE.
SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE BEEN
UNDERGOING A KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO RECREATE ANY
WHEELS. WE'RE WORKING VERY
CLOSELY WITH, DIRECTOR HOWARD
AND HER STAFF, THEY'VE GIVEN US
EVERYTHING FROM THEIR PROTOCOLS,
MANUALS, SCRIPTS. THEY'RE
THEY'RE VERY, THEY'RE THEY'RE
STOCKING US UP VERY WELL FOR
THIS TRANSFER, WE ARE ALSO
LOOKING AT, STAFFING UP WITHIN
ECR. THERE ARE SOME STAFF
POSITIONS THAT WILL BE ALLOCATED
TO US AS WELL. AND SO WE'RE, NOT
ONLY HANDLING THE KNOWLEDGE
TRANSFER, BUT THE HIRING OF NEW
PERSONNEL AT ECR AND WE ARE ALSO
RECRUITING FOR THE STATEWIDE
ADVISORY GROUP, THE TITLE TWO
ADVISORY GROUP IS A LARGE PART
OF THE TITLE TWO GRANT. AND, AT
THIS TIME WE ARE ACTIVELY
RECRUITING SO THAT WE'RE GOING
TO START WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO
START FROM SCRATCH, WE'RE GOING
TO GO AHEAD AND ASK FOLKS WHO
ARE CURRENTLY ON THE COMMITTEE
TO STAY AND IF, OTHER FOLKS, IF
FOLKS DON'T WANT TO STAY, IF
OTHER FOLKS WANT TO COME, THEN
WE WILL BE ACTIVELY RECRUITING
AND ARE RECRUITING. WE'RE ALSO
LOOKING AT THE FACT OF THE, THE
GRANT MAKING AND THE THREE YEAR
PLAN. SO I THINK WE'RE WE'RE
WELL SUITED. AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE
WE'RE PREPARED AND WE'RE READY
TO GO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THOSE COMMENTS. DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. YES THANK YOU, JOSEPH
DODD DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, JUST
TO ADD ON TO WHAT, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR HOWARD AND DIRECTOR
LUCERO NOTED, SO OBVIOUSLY IN
THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET, IT
PROVIDES FOR THE TRANSFER OF THE
TITLE TWO FORMULA GRANT PROGRAM
AS WELL AS THE COMPLIANCE AND
MONITORING FUNCTIONS, FROM BSC
TO OIC FOR NOW, WHILE THIS
PROPOSAL INCLUDES THE TITLE TWO
FORMULA GRANT PROGRAM, THE
ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES TO
EVALUATE THE REMAINING 2011
REALIGNMENT GRANT PROGRAMS AND
WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE AT MAY
REVISE. FOR US THIS IS THIS
PROPOSAL SERVES AS THE FIRST
STEP TO IMPLEMENT THIS
REALIGNMENT. SO MORE TO COME,
COME THROUGH THE FORTHCOMING MAY
REVISION, ADDITIONALLY,
ACCOMPANYING THIS BCP, THERE'S
REQUESTED TBL TO EFFECTUATE THIS
SHIFT FROM BSC TO OIC FOR
CHANGING OIC AS THE DESIGNATED
STATE AGENCY UNDER JPA, AS WELL
AS CARRYING OUT THE GRANT
ADMINISTRATION FUNCTIONS, AS
WELL AS MAKING OTHER TECHNICAL
CHANGES. ADDITIONALLY, WITHIN
THESE PROPOSED CHANGES IS,
THERE'S A DELAY, THERE'S A DELAY
OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW
DISTRIBUTION, DISTRIBUTION
METHODOLOGY FOR THE JUVENILE
JUSTICE REALIGNMENT BLOCK
PROGRAM. BLOCK GRANT. SORRY,
FROM JANUARY 20TH, 24 TO JANUARY
2025. AND THE RATIONALE FOR THIS
PROPOSED DELAY IS TO ALLOW FOR
ADDITIONAL STAKEHOLDER
ENGAGEMENT. INCLUDING BOTH THE
ADMINISTRATION AND THE
LEGISLATURE, SO I'LL PAUSE
THERE. AND UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR COMMENTS THERE, ELIO
ORLANDO SANCHEZ WITH THE LAO, WE
DON'T RAISE CONCERNS AT THIS
TIME WITH THESE PROPOSALS. THANK
YOU AND HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, DÍAS
QUESTIONS ON ITEM ISSUE THREE. I
HAVE A QUESTION AND IT HAS
SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE
OMBUDSPERSON. ARE YOU FAMILIAR
WITH THAT, THAT ROLE? YES I'M
TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT. DOES
THE OIC OMBUDSPERSON DIFFER FROM
THE WORK OF DISABILITY RIGHTS
CENTER? YES AND DO THEY INTERACT
WITH EACH OTHER? THEY CAN OAN,
IT'S POSSIBLE TO THAT, OUR
OMBUDS OFFICE WOULD HAVE A
COMPLAINT AND INVESTIGATE IT AND
DECIDE THAT IT REALLY IS THE
ENTITY THAT YOU DESCRIBED THAT
SHOULD BE HANDLING THE MATTER.
OKAY, SO WHAT WHAT IS THE
PROCESS FOR THEM TO CLOSE OUT A
CASE? THEY WILL, INVESTIGATE IT,
WHICH COULD TAKE SOME TIME,
BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE TO LOOK AT
RECORDS AND SOMETIMES VIDEOS.
AND ONCE THE CASE IS CLOSED OUT,
THEY WILL SEND A LETTER TO THE
CHIEF. THEY ALSO CONTACT THE
CHIEF IMMEDIATELY UPON THE
COMPLAINT ITSELF. OKAY. THAT'S
HELPFUL. SO DOES ANYBODY AT THE
YOUTH OR OR OR THE STAFF AT THE
FACILITY KNOW WHEN OIC IS, GOING
TO INVESTIGATE A SPECIFIC
COMPLAINT OR DO A SITE VISIT THE
OMBUDS OFFICE IS ALLOWED TO MAKE
UNANNOUNCED VISITS AND SOMETIMES
DOES, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S A
CONCERN ABOUT YOUTH SAFETY OR OR
SOMETHING CURRENT, SO THE
FACILITY MAY NOT KNOW THAT OUR
STAFF IS SHOWING UP, BUT THEY
WILL CLEARLY IDENTIFY THEMSELVES
AND THEY WILL ACT ACCORDING TO
THE LAW. OKAY. GOOD ENOUGH.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SO MUCH
FOR THAT, SENATOR LACKEY. AND
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR
TESTIMONY. SO I JUST HAVE MORE
OF A STATEMENT. FROM FROM SUB
SIX. AND THAT IS, THERE IS NO
AMBIGUITY TO THE LAW REGARDING
THE TRANSFER OF JUVENILE JUSTICE
GRANT ADMINISTRATION TO THE OIC
FOR ESPECIALLY IF THIS OFFICE
WAS CREATED SPECIFICALLY TO
PROVIDE LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT
TO COUNTIES OVER JUVENILE
JUSTICE ISSUES. IT WAS AN
AGREEMENT MADE BETWEEN THE
GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE
FOUR YEARS AGO. I DON'T SEE A
REASON WHY THIS AGREEMENT SHOULD
SHOULD NOT BE HONORED,
ESPECIALLY WHEN THE LAW IS CLEAR
ON THIS SUBJECT. SO THAT'S MORE
OF A STATEMENT AS WE GO BACK AND
CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET
ITSELF AND GEARING UP TOWARDS
MAY REVISE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR THAT. NOW WE'RE GOING TO
TRANSITION IN OVER INTO, ISSUE
FOUR. AND THERE WE HAVE JANICE
SANFORD MILLER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR,
OFFICE OF RESEARCH, CDCR. JARED
LOZANO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR,
DIVISION OF ADULT INSTITUTIONS,
FACILITY SUPPORT AND
MAINTENANCE, CDC. DR. DAVE
LEWIS, DIRECTOR OF FACILITY
PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION, CDCR.
CAITLYN O'NEIL, LEGISLATIVE
ANALYST'S OFFICE PATRICK PLANTE,
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, AND LYNN
ISHIMARU, DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE.
AND WHEN YOU'RE READY, WE WILL
START WITH, JANICE SANFORD
MILLER. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR.
CHAIR, AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, MY NAME IS JANICE
SANFORD MILLER, AND I'M THE
ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE
OFFICE OF RESEARCH. I AM HERE
NOW TO PROVIDE THE COMMITTEE A
BRIEF OVERVIEW OF CDCR'S FALL
2023 POPULATION PROJECTIONS. THE
HANDOUT PROVIDED TO YOU INCLUDES
OUR CURRENT POPULATION
PROJECTIONS AS COMPARED TO THE
2023 BUDGET ACT PROJECTIONS. FOR
REFERENCE, CDCR PREPARES ITS
POPULATION PROJECTIONS TWICE PER
YEAR IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE STATE
BUDGET CYCLE. CDCR'S FALL
PROJECTIONS UTILIZE HISTORICAL
TREND DATA, INCLUDING DATA ON
COURT COMMITMENTS TO PREDICT
FUTURE POPULATIONS FOR
MONITORING PURPOSES, WE KEEP
TRACK OF POINT IN TIME
POPULATION AS OF THE END OF EACH
MONTH IN ORDER TO COMPARE THE
PROJECTED POPULATION TO THE
ACTUAL POPULATION. HOWEVER, FOR
BUDGET PURPOSES, WE USE AN
AVERAGE DAILY POPULATION OVER
THE FISCAL YEAR THAT IS WHY ON
YOUR HANDOUT, YOU WILL NOTE THAT
THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF THE
PROJECTION CYCLE, CURRENT YEAR
AND BUDGET YEAR REFLECT AVERAGE
DAILY POPULATIONS, AND THE
REMAINING THREE YEARS REFLECT
JUNE 30TH POPULATIONS. THE FALL
2023 POPULATION PROJECTIONS
ANTICIPATE THAT THE INSTITUTION
POPULATION WILL DECREASE
THROUGHOUT THE PROJECTION CYCLE.
THE AVERAGE DAILY POPULATION IS
EXPECTED TO BE APPROXIMATELY
94,222, AND FISCAL YEAR 23, 24
AND 91,685. IN 2425 AS OF TODAY,
OUR IN CUSTODY POPULATION IS
93,136. THE FALL 2023 POPULATION
PROJECTIONS ANTICIPATE THAT
ADMISSIONS WILL REMAIN
RELATIVELY STABLE THROUGHOUT THE
PROJECTION CYCLE, AT
APPROXIMATELY 30,000 TO 30,600
ADMISSIONS PER YEAR. CDCR
EXPECTS THE ACTIVE PAROLE
POPULATION WILL DECLINE THROUGH
FISCAL YEAR 2526, INCREASE
SLIGHTLY THE FOLLOWING YEAR, AND
THEN STABILIZE, REACHING
APPROXIMATELY 35,182 BY JUNE
30TH, 2028. TODAY, OUR PAROLE
POPULATION. IS 35,191. DEPUTY
DIRECTOR LOZANO CAN ANSWER ANY,
OPERATIONAL BASED QUESTIONS THAT
YOU HAVE, AND I WILL ALSO DEFER
TO DIRECTOR LEWIS, WHO CAN ALSO
ANSWER OPERATIONALLY BASED
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO
YOU'RE HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS,
DEPUTY DIRECTOR LOZANO, OR DO
YOU HAVE A TESTIMONY? ALSO, JUST
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS FOR
YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR
LEWIS, SAME THING. OKAY. YES.
JUST HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, ALEJO, CAITLIN
O'NEILL WITH THE LEGISLATIVE
ANALYST'S OFFICE, MY COMMENTS
PERTAIN TO THE BROADER, THE
STATE'S THE BROADER PICTURE OF
THE STATE'S NEED FOR PRISON
CAPACITY MOVING FORWARD, GIVEN
THE PROJECTED DECLINE IN THE
PRISON POPULATION. AND AS YOU'RE
AWARE, THAT SIGNIFICANT
POPULATION DECLINES IN RECENT
YEARS AND GOING FORWARD HAVE
ALLOWED THE STATE TO CLOSE THESE
FACILITIES AND AS WELL AS THE
PLANNED CLOSURE OF A PRISON NEXT
YEAR, HOWEVER, DESPITE THESE
REDUCTIONS, CDCR PROJECTIONS
CONSISTENTLY SHOW THAT THE
POPULATION WILL REMAIN WELL
BELOW A COURT ORDERED LIMIT ON
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT CAN BE
HOUSED IN STATE PRISONS. IN
RESPONSE, HOWEVER, TO
SUGGESTIONS THAT FURTHER
CAPACITY REDUCTIONS COULD BE
CONSIDERED, THE DEPARTMENT HAS
CITED THREE MAIN CONCERNS, WHICH
ARE ONE. THE INCREASED RISK OF
VIOLATING THE COURT ORDERED
POPULATION LIMIT TO THE
INCREASED COMPLEXITY OR
POTENTIAL FOR INCREASED
COMPLEXITY IN FINDING
APPROPRIATE HOUSING PLACEMENT
FOR THE POPULATION. AND THREE A
REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF
AVAILABLE ASSIGNMENTS TO WORK,
SCHOOL AND TREATMENT PROGRAMS.
IN RESPONSE TO THESE CONCERNS,
THE 20 2324 BUDGET PACKAGE
REQUIRED CDCR TO SUBMIT AN
ASSESSMENT OF ITS CAPACITY NEEDS
, AND THAT ANALYSIS, WHICH WAS
SUBMITTED THIS FALL, PRIMARILY
WAS AN INVENTORY OF THE NUMBER
OF ASSIGNMENTS THAT, CAN FULL
TIME ASSIGNMENTS THAT CAN BE
OFFERED TO THE POPULATION TO
WORK, SCHOOL, OR TREATMENT
PROGRAMS BASED ON EXISTING
INFRASTRUCTURE AND FUNDING
LEVELS, AS WELL AS AN ASSESSMENT
OF THE PERCENT OF THE POPULATION
THAT COULD HAVE ONE OF THOSE
ASSIGNMENTS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS
OF CAPACITY. AND OVERALL, AFTER
REVIEWING THAT REPORT, AS AS
WELL AS OTHER INFORMATION
RELEVANT TO THE CONCERN, THE
ADMINISTRATION'S STATED CONCERNS
ABOUT, CAPACITY REDUCTIONS, WE
FIND THAT THOSE CONCERNS COULD
BE MITIGATED. FOR EXAMPLE,
REDUCTIONS TO THE NUMBER OF
ASSIGNMENTS COULD BE MITIGATED
BY SIMPLY BUILDING MORE
CLASSROOMS OR CREATING NEW JOBS
OR TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT DON'T
REQUIRE CLASSROOMS, FOR EXAMPLE,
AND SO WHILE MITIGATING THESE
CONCERNS COULD CREATE COSTS, WE
DO THINK THAT THOSE WOULD LIKELY
BE ONE TIME OR TEMPORARY IN
NATURE AND BE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS
THAN THE, POTENTIALLY UP TO $1
BILLION IN ONGOING ANNUAL
SAVINGS THAT COULD BE, ACHIEVED
THROUGH FUTURE PRISON
DEACTIVATION. AND FINALLY, WE
FOUND THAT STATE LAW, WHICH
REQUIRES CDCR TO ACCOMMODATE
PROJECTED POPULATION DECLINES BY
REDUCING CAPACITY IN A MANNER
THAT MAXIMIZES LONG TERME
SAVINGS, ARGUABLY REQUIRES CDCR
TO FURTHER REDUCE CAPACITY. SO
WE RECOMMEND THAT THE
LEGISLATURE DIRECT CDCR TO BEGIN
PLANNING TO REDUCE CAPACITY BY
DEACTIVATING ADDITIONAL PRISONS
AND TO REPORT ON HOW TO MITIGATE
ANY RESULTING CHALLENGES. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, GIOVANA
FINANCE. THANK YOU. LÀ
NISHIMOTO, DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. THE ADMINISTRATION HAS
NOT PROPOSED ANY ADDITIONAL
CLOSURES AT THIS TIME. THE
DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO
COMPLY WITH PENAL CODE 2067,
WHICH REQUIRES THE DEPARTMENT TO
CONSIDER CERTAIN FACTORS WHEN
DETERMINING WHETHER TO CLOSE
PRISONS. BUT THE PENAL CODE
CONTAINS A NON-EXCLUSIVE LIST,
SO THE DEPARTMENT CONSIDERS THE
FACTORS IDENTIFIED, BUT IS NOT
LIMITED TO ONLY EVALUATING THOSE
FACTORS, AND THE LANGUAGE
DOESN'T PRECLUDE THE DEPARTMENT
FROM MAINTAINING A LARGER
BUFFER. UNDER THE FEDERAL COURT
ORDER, THE DEPARTMENT PROVIDED
ITS CAPACITY ASSESSMENT IN
NOVEMBER TO THE LEGISLATURE,
WHICH INCLUDED INFORMATION ABOUT
THE IMPACT ON REHABILITATION
BASED ON VARYING LEVELS OF
CROWDING. AND AS CDCR CONTINUES
TO IMPLEMENT THE CALIFORNIA
MODEL STATEWIDE, THE POPULATION
DECLINE HAS REALLY ALLOWED THEM
TO ALTER THEIR VIEW ON CAPACITY,
MOVING AWAY FROM JUST THE NUMBER
OF BEDS AND THE RESULTING
BUFFER. BUT REALLY LOOKING,
PROVIDING SOME NORMALIZATION BY
BRINGING LIFE OUTSIDE THE PRISON
INSIDE AND CHANGING THAT
EXPERIENCE. THAT MEANS LESS
OVERCROWDING AND THUS LESS
DOUBLE CELLING, WHICH WILL
IMPROVE THE LIVING ENVIRONMENT
FOR THE INCARCERATED, AS WELL AS
THE WORKING CONDITIONS FOR THE
STAFF. AND AS THERE ARE FEWER
PEOPLE HOUSED PER PRISON, IT
ALLOWS FOR A GREATER LEVEL OF
PROGRAMING AND REHABILITATION.
BECAUSE FEWER PEOPLE WILL BE
COMPETING FOR THE SAME,
OPPORTUNITIES. AND ALTHOUGH A
NUMBER OF EMPTY BEDS HAVE BEEN
CITED, THE FIGURE IS OFTEN
MISINTERPRETED TO SUGGEST THAT
CDCR HAS VACANT CELLS. AND
THAT'S REALLY NOT THE CASE.
GENERALLY WHAT IT WOULD MEAN IS
THAT THE TOP BUNK IN A CELL MAY
BE EMPTY IN SOME CASES, BUT THE
BOTTOM BUNK WOULD HOUSE SOMEONE,
ULTIMATELY, THE POPULATION STILL
FAR EXCEEDS THE DESIGN CAPACITY
OF ONE INCARCERATED PERSON PER
CELL. THANK YOU. HAPPY TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR THAT. K¾T CDCR YOU WANT TO
HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON ANY OF
THOSE STATEMENTS? NOT YET. NO
COMMENTS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
SO REMEMBER LACKEY, ANY COMMENTS
ON THIS ISSUE? YEAH. THE ONLY
COMMENT I HAVE IS THAT, THERE'S
A SUGGESTION THAT, THE
LEGISLATURE, DIRECTS CDCR TO
REPORT BY JANUARY 10TH, 2025 ON
WHICH SPECIFIC PRISONS THAT
PLANS TO DEACTIVATE. AND I WILL
TELL YOU THAT, THERE'S A LOT OF
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE
DEVASTATED BY SOME OF THESE
CLOSURES. THESE ARE SMALLER
COMMUNITIES. THERE'S AN ECONOMIC
IMPACT. THAT'S GOING TO BE
DEVASTATING. AND I WOULD HOPE
THAT THAT WOULD BE, A
CONSIDERATION AND THAT WE MIGHT
HAVE SOME KIND OF MITIGATION
MEASURES OR SOME KIND OF
SUGGESTED PATHWAY TO, SAVE SOME
OF THOSE COMMUNITIES FROM
DEVASTATION BECAUSE SOME OF
THESE ARE IN PRETTY ISOLATED
PARTS OF THE STATE, FOR EXAMPLE,
CHUCKAWALLA, WHICH IS SCHEDULED
ALREADY TO BE CLOSED, I THINK
THAT THERE'S AN ARGUMENT TO BE
MADE THAT THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE
BEST PLACE TO CHOOSE, BUT,
THAT'S NOT MY DECISION TO MAKE.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT THERE'S
A LOT OF CONSIDERATIONS THAT I
HOPE THAT ARE WELL THOUGHT OUT,
OTHER THAN CONVENIENCE, BECAUSE,
THESE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
DESERVE TO BE PART OF THE
EQUATION, THERE ARE PEOPLE, TOO.
AND THEY DESERVE TO ALSO HAVE
THE STATE'S CONSIDERATION OF HOW
THIS IMPACTS THEM. AND I WOULD
HOPE THAT, ALL THOSE IN THE
DECISION TREE WOULD, TAKE THAT
ASPECT INTO STRONG CONSIDERATION
. AND THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK
YOU, ASSEMBLYMEMBER LACKEY. AND,
QUESTIONS AND STATEMENTS,
CERTAINLY IN THIS BUDGET
DEFICIT, WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO
CLOSE GAPS AND WE SEE A LOT OF
DIFFERENT CUTS, TAKING PLACE
THROUGHOUT THE DIFFERENT,
BUDGETS, DIFFERENT SUB CHAIRS
ARE HAVING HEARINGS NOW, BUT IT
ALWAYS COMES BACK TO ME AS, SUB
SIX, CHAIR, PUBLIC SAFETY, THAT
CDCR IS THE ONLY DEPARTMENT
WHERE THE PEOPLE YOU SERVE GOES
DOWN, BUT THE COSTS GO UP. THE
RESPONSE I'M HEARING FROM CDCR
TO LEO AND SOME OF THESE THINGS
THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT,
SOMETIMES WHEN WE TRY TO EXPLAIN
OR EQUATE THOSE, DOESN'T MEASURE
UP AND SO I AGREE THAT THE STATE
SHOULD HAVE A REASONABLE NUMBER
OF EMPTY BEDS BECAUSE POPULATION
CAN FLUCTUATE IN THOSE AREAS,
BUT WE DON'T WANT TO BOX YOU
INTO A CORNER AND JEOPARDIZE
PUBLIC SAFETY. THAT'S WHY THAT
LAW WAS THERE. AND THE DIFFERENT
THINGS AND THE THEY WERE TALKING
ABOUT WITHIN SECTION OF THE CODE
, 2067, BUT, 1900 BEDS, EMPTY
BEDS, SOUNDS A LOT WHEN I'M
TALKING TO MY OTHER COLLEAGUES
ON THIS ISSUE. AND SOME BELIEVE
THAT IT'S UNREASONABLE TO HAVE
THAT MANY EMPTY BEDS, WHILE THE
COST IS STILL GOING UP WITH THE
PEOPLE THAT WERE SERVING UNDER
THIS DEPARTMENT GOES DOWN,
ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S OTHER
CUTS THAT ARE BEING ASKED TO BE
MADE. AND SO WHEN WE START TO
TALK ABOUT THOSE SAVINGS AND
THOSE RESOURCES, WHAT ELSE CAN
YOU, EXPLAIN TO ME OR SHARE WITH
ME TO JUSTIFY THESE COSTS AND
THE EXPLANATION OF THOSE BEDS,
EMPTY BEDS? YEAH. SO I THINK
I'LL START. DEPUTY DIRECTOR
JARED LOZANO, FACILITY SUPPORT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION,
CHAIRPERSON, I THINK WHEN PEOPLE
LOOK AT WHAT THE NUMBER OF EMPTY
BEDS ARE, THEY'RE REFERENCING
THE 130 7.5, WHICH I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THAT REALLY HAS
DETERMINED BY THE FEDERAL COURT
TO BE THE STANDARD OF CRUEL AND
UNUSUAL AND NOT NECESSARILY THE
OPTIMAL, NOT NECESSARILY WHERE
WE REALLY WANT TO BE AS AN
ORGANIZATION. AS, AS SAID BY,
OTHER PANEL MEMBERS AND REPEATED
EARLIER WITH, WITH PREVIOUS
PANELS, HOUSING IS VERY COMPLEX.
AND SO NOT EVERY BED IS THE
SAME. A LOT OF THEM ARE THE
UPPER BUNKS VERSUS THE LOWER
BUNKS. A LOT OF THEM ARE, WHEN
WE'RE HOUSING INCARCERATED
PEOPLE, WE TAKE A MULTITUDE OF
THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION, ONE
BEING THEIR SECURITY LEVEL, ONE
BEING THEIR MEDICAL AND MENTAL
HEALTH NEEDS AND THE ACUITY OF
THAT MENTAL HEALTH NEED AND
MEDICAL NEED, ACCESSIBILITY
NEEDS. THESE ARE JUST
REHABILITATION NEEDS, OF COURSE,
WHICH IS, I THINK, PREVIOUS
PANELS HAVE REALLY EXPLAINED THE
IMPORTANCE OF THAT, AND SO I
THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO
IDENTIFY THAT WHEN YOU'RE
RUNNING OFF OF A NUMBER OF 135
OR 137.5, IT'S REALLY THERE, THE
OTHER THING IS, I, I WORKED IN
THIS DEPARTMENT IN THE 1990S. I
STARTED MY, MY CAREER AS A
CORRECTIONAL OFFICER WHEN WE HAD
TRIPLE BUNKS, WHEN WE HAD
OVERCROWDING, WHEN WE HAD NO
REHABILITATION, NO PROGRAMS. AND
I WILL SAY THIS, I'M SO GLAD
THAT I'M NOT IN THAT SAME
DEPARTMENT. I'M SO GLAD THAT OUR
TEAMS IN THE FIELD WORK IN THESE
PRISONS, NOT ONLY ON THE CUSTODY
SIDE, THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS,
THE PEACE OFFICER SIDE, BUT ALSO
THE TEAM MEMBERS THAT WORK ON
OUR ANCILLARY SIDE OR NON
CUSTODY SIDE HAVE TO WORK IN
SOME OF THE CONDITIONS THAT WE
WERE FORCED TO WORK IN WITH
OVERCROWDING AND REALLY NOT A
FOCUS ON REHABILITATION. THE
OTHER THING IS, IS
REHABILITATION IN THESE TYPES OF
SAFER PRISONS, THAT WE HAVE
TODAY, REALLY, INCLUDE,
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS
COMING IN AND PROVIDING SERVICES
AS WELL, THE STRESS LEVELS THAT
OUR TEAM MEMBERS HAD TO GO
THROUGH, WHEN WE HAD CROWDED IN
REHABILITATION WAS NOT REALLY
THE FOCUS WAS EXTREMELY HIGH IN
COMPARISON TO NOW. AND I THINK
WHEN IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY WHEN
WE CLOSE A YARD OR WE CLOSE A,
AN INSTITUTION, THAT WE'RE ALSO
CLOSING THAT REHABILITATIVE
SPACE AS WELL. AND, AND SO I
WOULD SAY THAT, AND AS EARLIER
STATED, OUR, REPORT THAT WE
PROVIDED THE LEGISLATURE IS, IS
REALLY, A GOOD STARTING POINT TO
HAVE THAT DISCUSSION. AND SO WE
UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE A LOT
OF PEOPLE HAVING TO MAKE TOUGH
DECISIONS, DURING THIS TIME, BUT
I WOULD SAY THAT OUR FACILITIES,
OUR PRISONS ARE REALLY PART OF
THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE EDUCATION
, WE HAVE, A LOT OF PROGRAMS
THAT WE SEE IN OUR COMMUNITIES,
WITHIN OUR FACILITIES. WE THANK
YOU FOR THAT. AND YOU MENTIONED
THAT, 137.5% DESIGN CAPACITY
THAT NOW IS PART OF THE LAW THAT
IT WAS, TERMED WHAT WAS THE TIME
YOU USED? IT WAS, IT'S LIKE THE
CRUEL AND UNUSUAL STANDARD OF
ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE. THANK
YOU. AND 150% WOULD BE EXTREME.
CHEN NØ. SO THE 137% WAS DEEMED
BY THE COURT THE ARGUMENTS ON
BOTH SIDES OF THAT COURT CASE.
ONE SAID 100, I BELIEVE IN 125,
125 AND 150. THANK YOU. AND DO
YOU THINK THAT THAT'S MANAGEABLE
OR IS THERE ANY, INSIGHT IN
GOING BACK AND ASKING FOR A
MODIFICATION TO THAT POPULATION
CAP, SO THAT WOULD BE, SOMETHING
THAT WOULD HAVE TO, TAKE PLACE
OUTSIDE OF MY OF MY, DAVE LEWIS,
DIRECTOR OF FACILITY PLANNING,
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, THAT
WAS LITIGATED TO THE SUPREME
COURT. SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S
REALLY MUCH OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO
REVISIT AND CHANGE THAT CAP AT
THIS POINT. THANK YOU. ELIO,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT? I
JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT,
DEACTIVATING PRISONS AND BASED
ON OUR ESTIMATES UNDER CDCR'S
CURRENT POPULATION PROJECTIONS,
UP TO AROUND FIVE PRISONS WOULD
JUST PUT THE DENSITY BACK TO
2019, BASICALLY PRE-PANDEMIC
LEVELS. SO WE'RE THIS IS NOT
GOING BACK TO THE, THE DAYS OF
CRUEL AND UNUSUAL. WHAT WAS
DEEMED CRUEL AND UNUSUAL,
OVERCROWDING LEVELS, THE STATE
WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT
BECAUSE IT'S STILL SUBJECT TO
THE COURT ORDER. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXPLANATION.
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. YEAH, THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, I THINK
CHANGING THE PERCENTAGE COULD
UNNECESSARILY TIE THE STATE'S
HANDS, AS IT IS NOW, WE ARE ABLE
TO GO TO A LOWER LEVEL. I DON'T
KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO FORCE IT TO
A LOWER LEVEL, I MEAN, THE
PUNISHMENT FOR VIOLATING THAT
WHICH THANKFULLY HAS NOT
HAPPENED WOULD BE, RELEASING
PEOPLE, I BELIEVE THERE'S A
COURT APPOINTED PERSON WHO WOULD
DO THAT AND WOULD RELEASE THE
PEOPLE. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT
IT'S NECESSARY TO LOWER THAT,
THAT STANDARD. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AND
AGAIN, THIS IS, WITHIN THE
BUDGET COMMITTEE AND WE'RE BEING
TASKED TO MAKE CUTS, DEFER AND
SOME ARE ASKING WHY WHEN WE'RE
THE, THE, THE PEOPLE THAT WE
SERVE HERE WITHIN THIS
DEPARTMENT AND THE COST GOES UP
WHEN THAT LOWERS, THE COST STILL
GOES UP. SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THESE
QUESTIONS OUT THERE AND ANSWERED
, AS MUCH AS WE CAN. AND TALKING
ABOUT THE 137.5 CAPACITY AND THE
BEDS THAT ARE OUT THERE, IS
THERE OTHER AREAS WITHIN CDCR
THAT IS BEING LOOKED AT AS WE
CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE
BUDGET PROCESS, FOR DIFFERENT
CUTS, DELAYS OR DIFFERENT THINGS
THAT COULD ADD TO ALL DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE
WHEN WE ALL HAVE TO COME FORWARD
AND, AND SHARE THAT
RESPONSIBILITY IN THESE BUDGET
CONSTRAINT YEARS TIMES, I THINK
THE DEPARTMENT IS CONSTANTLY
LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES TO BE
MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE IN
ITS OPERATIONS, AS FAR AS CDCR,
WE ARE LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF
OPTIONS RELATED TO HEADQUARTERS
REDUCTIONS AND OTHER THINGS THAT
WE CAN WE CAN GO THROUGH. I
THINK PART OF THOSE WERE
PROPOSED AS PART OF THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET, SO I DO THINK
THAT WE DEFINITELY ARE LOOKING
AT OPPORTUNITIES TO BE MORE
EFFICIENT, BUT FOR THE MOST PART
, OUR ARE, IF YOU WILL, AREAS
THAT ARE MOST OPEN TO CUTS ARE
THINGS THAT WE CUT IN THE
RECESSION. AT THAT POINT, I WAS
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF FISCAL
SERVICES, AND WE SEVERELY CUT
OUR PROGRAMS FOR INCARCERATED
PEOPLE, FOR EXAMPLE. AND I DON'T
THINK THAT THE STATE WOULD BE
INTERESTED IN DOING THAT. AND
THAT'S WHAT WAS ABLE TO
SUCCESSFULLY LEAD TO SOME OF
THESE REDUCTIONS. SO, YOU KNOW,
AS FAR AS, AS, OUR OPERATIONS, I
THINK FOR THE MOST PART, YOU
WOULD SEE THAT WE OPERATE OUR
INSTITUTIONS AT A VERY LEAN
LEVEL, THAT WOULD BE DIFFICULT
TO REDUCE WITHOUT REDUCING THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE
INCARCERATED. AT THE SAME TIME.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THOSE
THOSE, THOSE, PROGRAMS THAT WERE
CUT DURING THE RECESSION, WERE
ANY OF THEM REFUNDED, THROUGHOUT
THIS PERIOD OF TIME, I THINK FOR
THE MOST PART, MOST PROGRAMS
WERE RESTORED, IN A DIFFERENT
MANNER THAN THEY EXISTED PRIOR
TO THE RECESSION. WE'RE TALKING
2007, 2008. IN THOSE PERIODS, WE
TOOK SOME RATHER DRAMATIC
PROGRAM CUTS, AND, AND THAT WAS
A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT THAT THE
DEPARTMENT EXISTED IN DIFFERENT
CREDIT EARNINGS RELATED TO THAT.
I DO THINK, WHEN WE RESTORED
PROGRAMS, WE TOOK A HARD LOOK
AT, EVIDENCE BASED PROGRAMS THAT
COULD BE RESTORED. AND WHAT YOU
SEE IS A LOT MORE EFFICIENT AND
EFFECTIVE PROGRAMING THAT
EXISTED PRIOR TO THOSE CUTS. AND
DURING THIS TIME IN THE BUDGET
CUTS, WE'RE ALL GOING THROUGH
THAT. IT WOULD BE IT WOULD BE
GOOD TO BRING OPTIONS, WHAT
WE'RE LOOKING AT BEYOND WHAT
WHAT'S JUST IN FRONT OF US NOW
AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD
TOWARDS MAY REVISE AND FURTHER
DISCUSSION ON THEM. ONE OF THE
THINGS, CAPACITY REDUCTIONS,
MEANS LESS PROGRAMING, AND MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE REHAB
PROGRAMING BUDGET IS VERY LOW,
LESS THAN 4% ISN'T THE REASON
YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF
REPROGRAMING ATTRIBUTED TO HOW
YOU'VE ALLOCATED YOUR RESOURCES
FROM THE MANAGEMENT COMPONENT OF
IT, IF RECIDIVISM, IS A TOP
PRIORITY? WELL, RECIDIVISM IS A
TOP PRIORITY. A LOT OF OUR COSTS
ARE DRIVEN BY SALARIES OF THE
CUSTODY STAFF THAT EXIST IN OUR
INSTITUTIONS, YOU KNOW, SO YOU
HAVE YOU DO HAVE A LOT MORE
CUSTODY STAFF THAN YOU DO
PROGRAMING STAFF. THERE IS NO
QUESTION ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE
THOSE PEOPLE NEED TO BE IN EVERY
HOUSING UNIT AT ALL TIMES OF THE
DAY AND NIGHT, AND SO YOU YOU
HAVE A LOT OF MANDATORY
POSITIONS RELATED TO PROVIDING
THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE TO THE
INSTITUTION. THÀNH, WHEREAS THE
PROGRAMS WERE VERY CAREFULLY
CONSIDERED AS THEY WERE
RESTORED, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, TO
BE EVIDENCE BASED AND GENERALLY
ALSO HAD TO RELATE TO THE AMOUNT
OF PROGRAMING SPACE THAT WAS
AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS
IN. AND AT THIS POINT, I THINK
WE'RE TO A POINT WHERE, FOR THE
MOST PART, WE'RE EFFECTIVELY
UTILIZING ALL OF OUR PROGRAM
SPACE BETWEEN, MORE TRADITIONAL
PROGRAMS AND ALSO NEWER PROGRAMS
LIKE THE INTEGRATED SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDER TREATMENT PROGRAMS
AND OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN
SHOWN TO BE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE, IN
AN INSTITUTION, THROUGH THOSE
THINGS, I THINK WE, FOR THE MOST
PART, HAVE MAXIMIZED OUR USE OF
ALMOST ALL AVAILABLE PROGRAMS
SPACE AND TO PROVIDE ALL OF
THOSE PROGRAMS AND SO, AS DEPUTY
DIRECTOR LOZANO WAS POINTING
OUT, IF WE WERE TO REDUCE OUR
CAPACITY, WE WOULD ALSO BE
REDUCING OUR CAPACITY TO PROVIDE
THOSE PROGRAMS, TO THE
INCARCERATED POPULATION. AND ANY
FUTURE, PROGRAM EXPANSIONS WOULD
BE WOULD NEED, PROGRAM SPACE
PROVIDED, WHICH CAN TAKE SEVERAL
YEARS TO BRING ONLINE. SO IF
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. YEAH.
THANK YOU DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
AGAIN. SO WHILE THE DIVISION OF
REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS BUDGET
ONLY REPRESENTS ABOUT 5% OF THE
DEPARTMENT'S OVERALL BUDGET, WE
THINK THAT'S AN INCOMPLETE
PICTURE OF THE STATE'S
INVESTMENT AND REHABILITATION.
SO THE DEPARTMENT INTEGRATES
REHABILITATION INTO ALL OF ITS
PROGRAMS, AND THERE'S
SIGNIFICANT SPENDING ON
REHABILITATION OUTSIDE OF
SPECIFICALLY THE REHABILITATIVE,
PROGRAMING BUDGET, SO WE WOULD
THINK THAT WE WOULD I WOULD CITE
THAT IT DOESN'T INCLUDE SOME
GROUNDBREAKING EFFORTS RELATED
TO MEDICATION ASSISTED
TREATMENT, WHICH HELPS WITH
SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER,
DISORDERS. AND IT ALSO DOESN'T
INCLUDE HIGHER EDUCATION,
EDUCATION SPENDING, IT DOESN'T
OFFER SOME PROGRAMS WITH OUR
NONPROFIT PARTNERS AND
REHABILITATIVE SERVICES PROVIDED
TO PAROLEES ACROSS THE STATE.
AND IN ADDITION, THERE HAVE ALSO
BEEN INVESTMENTS MADE TO
SUPPORTED FAMILY CONNECTIONS
SUCH AS FREE PHONE CALLING AND
ADDITIONAL VISITING. SO WE
BELIEVE IT'S ACTUALLY HIGHER
THAN 5. WELL, THANK YOU, THANK
YOU. EVEN AT 5. IF WE'RE REALLY
TALKING ABOUT, RECIDIVISM,
MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE CONTINUE
TO MOVE FORWARD EVEN AT 5% OR
EVEN IN THE FUTURE MORE,
WOULDN'T THAT BE MORE OF A
DETERRENT TO THE COST DOWN THE
ROAD, IN THE FUTURE? SO I
BELIEVE WE ARE CURRENTLY
SPENDING MORE THAN 5% AND YES,
WELL, REHABILITATION
REHABILITATION, AS WE HEARD
EARLIER, IS REALLY IMPORTANT. IT
CAN LEAD TO LOWER RECIDIVISM.
SO, YES, I MEAN, I AGREE. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND YOU
TALKED ABOUT SPACE. SO WE KNOW
THESE PROGRAMS DO WORK, RIGHT.
CORRECT SO WE TALKED ABOUT
SPACE. IF YOU HAD MORE SPACE,
MORE FUNDING THEN WE'D BE ABLE
TO OFFER MORE OF THESE PROGRAMS.
IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. I THINK,
AT SOME INSTITUTIONS THAT WOULD
BE ACCURATE, JUST DEPENDS.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO
INTO THESE SPACES, NOT ONLY OUR
WHAT WE CALL OUR, OUR ORIGINAL
OR EDUCATION SLASH, THOSE TYPES
OF, CTE OR CAREER TECHNICAL
EDUCATION, THOSE TYPES OF SPACES
. BUT A LOT OF THE SPACES ARE
USED UP BY COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS THAT COME IN AND
PROVIDE SERVICES, THAT AT EVERY
INSTITUTION IT'S A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT. AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE,
OUR COMMUNITIES ARE ARE MORE
INVOLVED IN URBAN AREAS WHERE
THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE IN OUR
COMMUNITY AND ESPECIALLY IN
THOSE AREAS IN WHICH, THAT THE
COMMUNITY CAN AFFORD TO BE MORE
VOLUNTEERS IN SUPPORT OUR
INSTITUTIONS AND MAYBE MORE
SOME, SOME OF THESE OUTLINES.
SO, YES, AT SOME, BUT I'M NOT
CONVINCED THAT IT COULD BE THAT
WAY AT ALL, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
THAT COMMENT. ANY, FINAL
COMMENTS? ELIO NO THANK YOU.
JUST AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS
YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU.
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. NOTHING
TO ADD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL
FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. YOU CAN SEE
THE QUESTIONS WE'RE FIELDING NOW
AS CHAIR OF, SUB SIX, ESPECIALLY
WHEN WE'RE UP AGAINST THIS,
BUDGET DEFICIT. AND AGAIN, THE
POSING THE QUESTION. RIGHT. IF
THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE SERVING
WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES
TO GO DOWN, WHY IS THE COST
GOING UP AND LOOKING AT
ALTERNATIVE AREAS AS FAR AS
MAYBE CONTRIBUTING TO THE
DEFICIT WITHIN THE BUDGET
ITSELF? AS WE FURTHER THESE
DISCUSSIONS? SO, THANK YOU. ANY
OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE DÍAS?
NO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PARTICIPATION, YOUR TESTIMONY.
AS NOW I MOVE TO ISSUE SIX
VARIOUS BUDGET PROPOSALS. JUSTIN
ALDERMAN ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR,
BUDGET MANAGEMENT, CDCR CAITLYN
O'NEIL, LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S
OFFICE, ORLANDO SANCHEZ ZAVALA,
ALEJO'S OFFICE PATRICK PLANTE,
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, SKYLER
MILES, CLINTON, COB, DEPARTMENT
OF FINANCE CYNTHIA MENDOZA,
MENDOZA, MENDOZA, DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. I THINK I GOT IT RIGHT
THE FIRST TIME. THANK YOU. AND
WE'LL START WITH, JUSTIN
ALDERMAN. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR.
CHAIR AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER
LACKEY, JUSTIN ADELMAN,
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF THE BUDGET
MANAGEMENT BRANCH FOR CDCR. WE
HAVE A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE THIS
AFTERNOON JUST TO HIGHLIGHT TWO
OF THEM. I WANT TO GO INTO THE
UTILITIES COST REQUEST, ONE
ADDITIONAL NOTE ON THIS REQUEST
AS WELL. IT NOTES 21.9 MILLION
GENERAL FUND IN 24, 25 AND
ONGOING, THAT'S A TECHNICAL
ERROR ACTUALLY, AND I APOLOGIZE.
IT'S 21.9 MILLION GENERAL FUND
IN 2425 AND THEN INCREASING TO
43.8 MILLION IN 2526. IT'S A 50%
REDUCTION FOR THE BUDGET YEAR IN
RECOGNITION OF KIND OF THE
BUDGETARY DIFFICULTIES IN THE
STATE, SO THAT'S THE FIRST
REQUEST IS JUST WE'VE
EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST TWO
YEARS ABOUT A 35% INCREASE IN
UTILITIES COSTS STATEWIDE,
DESPITE REDUCTIONS IN
UTILIZATION. AND THIS IS A
FUNDING METHODOLOGY THAT WE
BELIEVE WILL ALLOW US TO PAY
THESE COSTS ONGOING IN A DURABLE
SOLUTION. THE SECOND PROPOSAL
THAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS A
CHANGE TO THE METHODOLOGY IN
SUPPORT STAFFING FOR OUR
DIVISION OF ADULT PAROLE
OPERATIONS. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY
NON CUSTODY NON-SWORN POSITIONS,
ASSOCIATE GOVERNMENT PROGRAM
ANALYSTS AND KIND OF HR AND
CONTRACT STAFF THAT SUPPORT THE
DIVISION OF ADULT PAROLE
OPERATIONS. THE PROPOSAL
GENERALLY IS MEANT TO ESTABLISH
SOMETHING OF A BASELINE, A FLOOR
FOR THESE POSITIONS IN
RECOGNITION THAT AT THE MOMENT,
THEY'RE CURRENTLY TIED AND
ASSOCIATED WITH THE PAROLE
POPULATION. SO AS THE POPULATION
GOES UP, THESE STAFF, INCREASE.
AND AS THE POPULATION GOES DOWN,
THESE STAFF DECREASE. HOWEVER
BECAUSE THEY'RE SUPPORT STAFF,
THEY AREN'T NECESSARILY
ASSOCIATED WITH JUST THE PAROLE
POPULATION. THEY DO HR
FUNCTIONS, THEY SUPPORT
CONTRACTS ACROSS THE STATE. AND
SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST
ASSOCIATED WITH THE PAROLE
POPULATION. AND WE BELIEVE THIS
PROPOSAL IS A DURABLE SOLUTION
TO AGAIN, ESTABLISH A KIND OF
BASELINE MINIMUM SUPPORT FOR THE
DIVISION OF ADULT PAROLE
OPERATIONS AND FOR THE OTHER
PROPOSALS I'M AVAILABLE FOR
QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY. THANK
YOU. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, FOR
YOUR TESTIMONY, CAITLIN O'NEILL,
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU. CAITLIN O'NEILL WITH
THE LAO, WE HAVE COMMENTS ON
THREE OF THE PROPOSALS WITHIN
THIS ISSUE. SO I WILL DISCUSS
THE FIRST TWO. AND THEN IF IT'S
ALL RIGHT WITH YOU, I'LL PASS IT
TO MY COLLEAGUE TO DISCUSS THE
THIRD, SO THE FIRST ONE THAT WE
HAVE COMMENTS ON IS ON THE, THE
PROPOSAL TO THE, TO FUND THE
CDCR'S UTILITIES COSTS AND
CREATE A NEW METHODOLOGY THAT
MR. EDELMAN SPOKE ABOUT, WE FIND
THE PROPOSED NEW METHODOLOGY AND
AUGMENTATION TO BE REASONABLE,
WE, HOWEVER, WE WOULD NOTE THAT
IF UTILITY COSTS END UP BEING
LOWER THAN BUDGETED, CDCR COULD
REDIRECT THE FUNDING TO OTHER
PURPOSES. SO WE RECOMMEND
APPROVING THE PROPOSAL. BUT
ADOPTING PROVISIONAL LANGUAGE TO
REQUIRE ANY EXCESS FUNDING TO
REVERT TO THE GENERAL FUND. AND
THEN THE SECOND ISSUE I'LL SPEAK
ABOUT IS, ON THE PROPOSED 8.2
MILLION AUGMENTATION FOR THE
COST OF, PHONE CALLS MADE BY THE
INCARCERATED POPULATION, THE
PROPOSED AUGMENTATION ASSUMES
THAT THE AUGUST 2023 CALLING
LEVEL WILL PERSIST THROUGH JUNE
2025. HOWEVER, AS WE'VE
DISCUSSED, THE PRISON POPULATION
IS DECLINING AND SO, BUT THE
PROPOSAL DOESN'T ASSUME THAT, IT
ASSUMES CALLING WILL REMAIN FLAT
OR NUMBER OF MINUTES UTILIZED
WILL REMAIN FLAT. AND SO, IF WE
ASSUME THAT EACH PERSON'S USAGE
DOESN'T CHANGE OVER TIME, THAT
WOULD PRESUMABLY RESULT IN THE
DEPARTMENT BEING SOMEWHAT OVER
BUDGETED, SO WE RECOMMEND THE
LEGISLATURE WITHHOLD ACTION ON
THE PROPOSAL, DIRECT CDCR TO,
ADJUST THE METHODOLOGY AT THE
MAY REVISION TO ACCOUNT FOR
CHANGES IN THE POPULATION, WE
THINK THIS WOULD JUST IN GENERAL
PROMOTE BETTER BUDGETING AND
ALSO POTENTIALLY FREE UP SOME
GENERAL FUND RESOURCES IN THE
BUDGET YEAR. AND I'M GOING TO
PASS IT TO MY COLLEAGUE. GREAT.
THANK YOU. ORLANDO SANCHEZ WITH
THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S
OFFICE. ALL MY COMMENTS PERTAIN
TO THE DIVISION OF ADULT PAROLE
OPERATIONS, PAROLE SUPPORT
STAFF, CHANGE IN METHODOLOGY. TO
ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE,
THERE ARE NO UPWARD OR DOWNWARD
ADJUSTMENTS WOULD BE MADE TO THE
PAROLE SUPPORT STAFF. BUDGET AND
THE POSITION AUTHORITY. WHEN THE
POPULATION FOR PAROLE IS UNDER
42,200, WE RECOMMEND THAT THE
LEGISLATURE REJECT THIS
PROPOSAL, ALTHOUGH THE EXISTING
METHODOLOGY, REQUIRES A
REVISION, THE PROPOSED
METHODOLOGY IS FLAWED. WE FIND
THAT THE PROPOSAL FAILS TO
ACCOUNT FOR CERTAIN WORKLOAD
THAT DOES NOT CHANGE WHEN THE
PAROLE POPULATION CHANGES, AND
ALSO FAILS TO ACCOUNT FOR
WORKLOAD. THAT DOES CHANGE WHEN
THE PAROLE POPULATION DOES NOT
CHANGE WHEN IT DOES CHANGE.
UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL,
SPECIFICALLY, WHEN THE PAROLE
POPULATION DECREASES BELOW
42,200, THE DEPARTMENT WOULD
RETAIN ALL OF ITS RESOURCES FOR
PAROLE SUPPORT STAFF, EVEN IF
THAT WORKLOAD DECREASES WITH THE
. SIMILARLY, IF THE POPULATION
INCREASES ABOVE THIS 42,200
THRESHOLD, THE DEPARTMENT WOULD
RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING EVEN
IF THERE ISN'T AN ADDITIONAL
GROWTH IN SOME OF THAT WORKLOAD,
IN EITHER SCENARIO, WE FIND THAT
THE METHODOLOGY WOULD OVERBUDGET
THE DEPARTMENT. WE ALSO
RECOMMEND THE LEGISLATURE
DIRECTS CDCR TO SUBMIT A REVISED
PROPOSAL FOR THE REVISED
BUDGETING METHODOLOGY FOR THESE
PAROLE SUPPORT STAFF SHOULD
ACCOUNT FOR BOTH POPULATION
DRIVEN AND NON POPULATION DRIVEN
WORKLOAD AND SPECIFICALLY, IT
SHOULD IDENTIFY THE NUMBER OF
SUPPORT STAFF NEEDED TO ADDRESS
WORKLOAD THAT IS NOT AFFECTED
WHEN THE POPULATION CHANGES AND
PROVIDE WORKLOAD JUSTIFICATION
FOR EACH OF THOSE POSITIONS.
THEN THIRDLY, HAVE A METHODOLOGY
FOR THE REMAINING WORKLOAD THAT
DOES CHANGE WITH CHANGES IN THE
POPULATION. HAPPY TO TAKE
QUESTIONS ON ON THAT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. PATRICK PLAN,
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, IN
REGARDS TO UTILITIES COSTS,
PROPOSAL, THE INTENT IS TO USE A
METHODOLOGY THAT ALLOWS
BUDGETING TO BE AS CLOSE AS
POSSIBLE TO THE ACTUAL COSTS
INCURRED. SO FOR THIS REASON,
THE ADOPTING THE BUDGET BILL
LANGUAGE TO REVERT EXCESS
FUNDING TO THE GENERAL FUND IS
NOT NECESSARY AT THIS TIME,
ADJUSTING THE ESTIMATED AMOUNT
BASED ON ACTUAL COSTS OF THE
PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS WILL RESULT
IN A BETTER ALIGNED BUDGET, AS
THE LAO POINTED OUT IN ITS
ANALYSIS, UTILITIES ARE CLOSELY
LINKED TO MAINTAINING THE HEALTH
AND SAFETY OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE
AND WORK IN CDCR FACILITIES,
WHICH IS UTMOST CONCERN FOR CDCR
AND THE ADMINISTRATION. AND SO
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS PROPOSAL
ADDRESSES THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
K¾T AND, FURTHER IN REGARDS TO
SB 1008, WITH THE FREE VOICE
CALLING, SB 1008 WAS ONLY
RECENTLY ENACTED, AND WE ARE
WORKING FROM A LIMITED DATA SET
TO PROJECT THOSE COSTS. AND THE
CALL VOLUMES, SO THE
ADMINISTRATION'S PRIORITY IS TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE APPROPRIATE
LEVEL OF RESOURCES IS AVAILABLE,
TO FUND FREE VOICE CALLING. AND
OUR APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY
WILL BE REFINED AS MORE DATA
BECOMES AVAILABLE AND WITH THAT,
I'LL PASS IT ALONG TO MY
COLLEAGUE SKYLER. ALL RIGHT. SO
I'D LIKE TO TOUCH ON THE SUPPORT
STAFF RATIO SITUATION, SO
ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT IS ABOUT
IS THE PAROLE POPULATION IS
TRENDING DOWNWARD. AND IT HAS
BEEN FOR SEVERAL YEARS AT THIS
POINT, SO THE DIVISION OF PAROLE
OPERATIONS OR THE DIVISION OF
ADULT PAROLE OPERATIONS WITHIN
THE CDCR WOULD LIKE TO ESTABLISH
A BASELINE NUMBER OF SUPPORT
STAFF WHO WILL REMAIN AT CURRENT
STAFFING LEVELS, SO THAT THEY'LL
BE UNHINDERED IN THEIR EFFICACY
AND THEIR ABILITY TO SERVE THE
POPULATION, AS THE PAROLEES, DO
TEND TO DECLINE PRECIPITOUSLY
JUST IN THEIR NUMBER, DAPO IS
CURRENTLY AT A POINT WHERE A LOT
OF OPERATIONAL FUNCTIONS ARE
BECOMING IMPAIRED, AND THE
AGENCY IS AT A POINT WHERE
FURTHER REDUCTIONS TO ITS ITS
COUNT OF PEOPLE IN THESE
POSITIONS AND THESE SUPPORT
ROLES, WOULD BE LIKELY TO IMPEDE
GREATLY ON ITS CAPACITY TO SERVE
ITS, ITS PURPOSES, A LOT OF
THESE POSITIONS ARE GOING TO
PERTAIN TO THINGS LIKE CONTRACTS
, PROCUREMENT, FLEET VEHICLES,
AND JUST OTHER OPERATIONAL
SERVICES, BUSINESS SERVICES,
THAT ARE GOING TO REMAIN, QUITE
IMPORTANT DESPITE ANY CHANGES IN
THE POPULATION DENSITY. WELL,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT,
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR JUSTIN
ADELMAN, WOULD YOU, SPEAK TO THE
ERROR RELATED TO THE UTILITIES
PROPOSAL AND THE CALCULATIONS?
THAT WAS JUST A TECHNICAL ERROR,
THAT WE HAD BUDGETED FOR THE
FULL AMOUNT IN 25, 26. IT JUST
WASN'T REFLECTED IN THE
PROPOSAL, THE NARRATIVE AND THE
PROPOSAL IN FRONT OF US. YES. SO
IT'S A TECHNICAL ERROR? YES.
OKAY. WELL KEEP AN EYE ON THAT,
MOVING FORWARD, ANY OTHER
COMMENTS, ELIO, DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. NO, THANK YOU FROM THE
DAIS. SO WITH THE FORMULA STUFF.
SO WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE
CORRECT NUMBERS COMING FORWARD
BEFORE THE DÍAS. WE COULD GET
THOSE, WHEN IT'S READY, TO
PRESENT TO THE SUB SIX
COMMITTEE. SO WE HAVE ALL THE
INFORMATION THAT'S CURRENT,
RATHER THAN TECHNICAL ERRORS
THAT THOSE ARE CALCULATIONS ARE
BEING BASED UPON. SO WE COULD
FIND OUT, IF THOSE CALCULATIONS
STILL NEED TO BE ADJUSTED AND IF
THAT ARGUMENT IS STILL THERE AS
WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. I
JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
YOUR, TESTIMONY HERE TODAY. AS
THIS PANEL IS CONCLUDED. WE WILL
NOW TRANSITION INTO PUBLIC
COMMENT. PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE
FOR ALL ISSUES. AND WE ASK THAT
PUBLIC COMMENT BE HELD TO ONE
MINUTE EACH AS YOU PRESENT
YOURSELVES TO. TO THE
MICROPHONE, PLEASE STATE YOUR
NAME. YEAH. MR. CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, KOBE PEZZATI WITH THE
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF
PSYCHIATRIC TECHNICIANS, I JUST
WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW, A FEW
POINTS, WHILE THE PRISON
POPULATION APPEARS TO BE
DECREASING, THE NUMBER OF
MENTALLY ILL INMATES THAT WE
TREAT IS NOT MY CONCERN WITH THE
IDEA OF DEACTIVATING.
DEACTIVATING MORE PRISONS IS
THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE
FACILITIES WERE DESIGNED FOR
SINGLE BUNKING. SO WE WOULD LIKE
TO ECHO THE COMMENTS OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, I DON'T
KNOW HOW IT BECAME. I BELIEVE IT
WAS WHEN WE HAD AN EXPLOSION OF,
OF, INCREASE IN PRISON
POPULATIONS, THAT DOUBLE BUNKING
BECAME THE NORM. BUT FROM A
TREATMENT AND SAFETY CAPACITY
PERSPECTIVE, WE BELIEVE THAT
TREATING INDIVIDUALS IN A SAFE
AND CONTINUE OF CARE
ENVIRONMENT, IS BETTER WITH
SINGLE BUNKING. MY SECOND
CONCERN STEMS AROUND THE
RELIANCE OF OUTSOURCED MENTAL
HEALTH STAFF BY THE DEPARTMENT
MEMBER, MY MEMBERS HAVE A
VACANCY RATE OF NEARLY 40, WHICH
HAS CAUSED THE DEPARTMENT TO
RELY ON THE USE OF OUTSOURCED
MENTAL HEALTH STAFF PAYING
UPWARDS OF 2 TO 3 TIMES THE COST
OF STATE STAFF. IF YOU WANT TO
SAVE MONEY, CHECK OUT THE
OUTSOURCING STAFFING AGENCY
CONTRACTS. YOU CAN FIND SOME
THERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, HONORABLE CHAIR AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS AMANDA BENSON. I'M THE
CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER HERE IN
SACRAMENTO COUNTY. I SPEAK TODAY
TO URGE THE LEGISLATURE TO
RETAIN THE 40 MILLION ENACTED IN
THE GOVERNOR'S 2324 BUDGET, TO
CONTINUE THE THIRD YEAR OF
FUNDING FOR THE PUBLIC DEFENSE
PILOT PROGRAM. THE PILOT PROGRAM
IS A MODEST SHORT TIME
INVESTMENT, WHICH HAS ALREADY
YIELDED SIGNIFICANT LONG TERME
SAVINGS FOR THE STATE. IN
SACRAMENTO COUNTY ALONE, THE PDP
FUNDING HAS HELPED SECURE THE
SAFE RELEASE OF 34 CLIENTS WHO
WERE SERVING LIFE SENTENCES.
THESE RELEASES REDUCED OVERALL
INCARCERATION TIME BY
APPROXIMATELY 552 YEARS,
RESULTING IN SAVINGS TO THE
STATE BETWEEN 8.2 MILLION AND
73.4 MILLION. THESE NUMBERS YOU
KNOW THE NUMBERS STATEWIDE, THE
POTENTIAL SAVINGS OF UP TO $781
MILLION AS WELL, THE PDP FUNDING
ALSO HAS RESULTED IN CRITICAL
PUBLIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS IN
OUR COMMUNITY. THE FUNDS PERMIT
OUR OFFICES TO HIRE SOCIAL
WORKERS AND EXPAND OUR HOLISTIC
DEFENSE TEAMS AND CREATE A
CONTINUUM OF CARE, CONTINUUM OF
CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH PSYCHIATRIC
AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.
THESE FUNDS HAVE ALLOWED US TO
FACILITATE THE SAFE AND
SUCCESSFUL REENTRY PLANNING,
ENABLING INDIVIDUALS TO
REINTEGRATE AND MEANINGFULLY
CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR COMMUNITY.
AFTER INCARCERATION. WITHOUT THE
THIRD YEAR OF FUNDING, THESE
PUBLIC SAFETY GAINS WILL BE
HINDERED AS INDIGENT DEFENSE
PROVIDERS WILL NOT HAVE THE
RESOURCES TO PROVIDE THESE
SERVICES. FINALLY, PDP FUNDING
HAS BEEN CRITICAL TO ADDRESSING
THE DISPARATE IMPACT OF HARSH
SENTENCING ON OUR COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR IN SACRAMENTO, 82% OF
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN RELEASED
THROUGH THIS FUNDING ARE PEOPLE
OF COLOR. THESE NUMBERS ARE
CONSISTENT ACROSS THE STATE.
CALIFORNIA HAS MADE GREAT
STRIDES IN CORRECTING THE
MISTAKES OF OUR PAST THROUGH
COURAGEOUS, LANDMARK LEGISLATION
SUCH AS SENATE BILL 1437, THE
RACIAL JUSTICE ACT AND THE
RACIAL JUSTICE ACT FOR ALL. BUT
THESE LAWS DO NOT WORK WITHOUT
SUFFICIENT FUNDING FOR
IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT.
PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICES ARE IN
DESPERATE NEED OF RESOURCES TO
FULLY REALIZE THE IMPACT OF
THESE HISTORIC AND
TRANSFORMATIVE LAWS. THE PUBLIC
DEFENDER PILOT PROGRAM IS A WISE
INVESTMENT WITH LONG TIME
FINANCIAL AND SOCIETAL BENEFITS.
I URGE YOU TO RETAIN THE THIRD
YEAR FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
GOOD AFTERNOON. THOMAS OAN,
PUBLIC DEFENDER, SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY, CHAIR RAMOS, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER LACKEY, I WANT TO THANK
YOU BOTH AND APPRECIATE THE
COMMENTS THAT YOU MADE EARLIER,
RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANT AND
HARD WORK THE PUBLIC DEFENDERS
DO ON A DAILY BASIS STATEWIDE.
THIS PROGRAM IS IMPORTANT NOT
ONLY BECAUSE IT ADDRESSES THE
INEQUITIES THAT EXIST IN OUR
SYSTEM, BUT ALSO DEMONSTRATES
AND RECOGNIZES THAT PUBLIC
DEFENDERS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART
OF PUBLIC SAFETY. OUR WORK
SHOULD NOT BE OVERLOOKED. IT
SHOULD BE A PART OF EVERY PUBLIC
SAFETY DISCUSSION. WE SHOULD BE
FUNDED SO OUR TEAMS CAN PROVIDE
THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO THOSE
INDIVIDUALS TO ALLOW THEM AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED. IN
ADDITION TO THAT, UNDER THIS
PROGRAM, IN SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY ALONE, WE HAVE SAVED THE
STATE ALMOST $7 MILLION. THIS IS
IN FAR EXCESS OF LESS THAN 5
MILLION THAT HAVE BEEN
APPROPRIATED TO US. SO THIS IS A
FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE PROGRAM.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR COMMENTS. DANICA ADAMO, ON
BEHALF OF INITIATE JUSTICE,
EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO THE
PROPOSED CUTS TO THE PUBLIC
DEFENSE PILOT SUPPORT FOR
INCREASED FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY
BASED REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS
AND SUPPORT FOR ADDITIONAL
PRISON CLOSURES. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD
AFTERNOON. DILLON ELLIOTT, ON
BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS OF THE CITY AND
COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO,
ADDITIONALLY OPPOSED TO THE
PROPOSED CUTS TO THE PUBLIC
DEFENSE PILOT PROGRAM AND
ECHOING MANY OF THE SAME
COMMENTS ALREADY MADE. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS
. GOOD AFTERNOON, GLENN BACCHUS
FOR THE ELLA BAKER CENTER FOR
HUMAN RIGHTS, A RACIAL AND
ECONOMIC JUSTICE GROUP BASED IN
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA. OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS CLOSED PRISONS
FUND INDIGENT DEFENSE FUND,
VICTIM SERVICES, INCLUDING
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND
FINANCIAL HELP TO FAMILIES IN
NEED FUND REHABILITATIVE
SERVICES BOTH BEHIND THE WALLS
AND IN COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
HELLO. MY NAME IS BEN AMADOR AND
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF TIME DONE.
I'M SPEAKING TO LEND MY VOICE
FOR THE CALL TO PRIORITIZE
PRISON CLOSURES BY COMMITTING TO
CLOSE AT LEAST FIVE STATE OWNED
PRISONS IN THE 2024 25TH MAY.
REVISE BUDGET AND CUTTING
WASTEFUL PRISON INFRASTRUCTURE
SPENDING. I AM IN FULL SUPPORT
OF PROPOSALS TO SIGNIFICANTLY
REDUCE THE $14.6 BILLION
PROPOSED CORRECTIONS BUDGET AND
CLOSED AT LEAST FIVE ADDITIONAL
STATE PRISONS. THESE ACTIONS
WOULD NOT ONLY YIELD SIGNIFICANT
LONG TUM FINANCIAL SAVINGS, BUT
WOULD ALSO ALIGN THE CALIFORNIA
SHARED VISION FOR A MORE
EQUITABLE, HUMANE, AND FISCALLY
RESPONSIBLE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK
YOU. MY NAME IS K¾T. I AM HERE
WITH KWP AS A PART OF THE CURB
COALITION, WELL, BEFORE YOU
LEAVE, LACKEY, I WANTED TO ECHO
YOUR COMMENTS AS WELL. KEEP YOUR
COMMENTS PUBLIC. NOT TO ANY
MEMBER AT. OKAY. I LIKE TO JUST
HIGHLIGHT THE CONCERNS FOR THE
COMMUNITIES LOST, THE
COMMUNITIES IMPACTED HERE, WHAT
WE REALIZED WHEN WE WERE DEALING
WITH CLOSING PRISONS IS THAT
THESE COMMUNITIES ARE NOT
NECESSARILY OPPOSED TO THE
PRISON CLOSURE. THEY OPPOSED TO
THE LOSS OF Ã RESOURCES AND
ECONOMICS FOR THEIR COMMUNITY AS
THEY SHOULD BE. AND SO WHAT I'D
LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS JUST LIKE
THE STATE HAD A HAND AT HELPING
CHOOSE THIS PRISON FOR THESE
COMMUNITIES, THE STATE NEEDS TO
COME TO THE TABLE TO HELP THESE
COMMUNITIES REEMERGE IN A
BETTER, MORE HEALTHY INDUSTRY
FOR THESE COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU
SO MUCH AND I'LL CUT IT THERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. HI. MY NAME IS ARMANDO
POSADA. I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF
TIME DONE. I'M SPEAKING TO LEND
MY VOICE FOR THE CALL TO
PRIORITIZE PRISON CLOSURES BY
COMMITTING TO CLOSE AT LEAST
FIVE STATE OWNED PRISONS IN THE
2020, 20, 24 AND 25TH MAY.
REVISED BUDGET AND CUTTING
WASTEFUL PRISON INFRASTRUCTURE
SPENDING. I AM A FULL SUPPORT OF
PROPOSALS TO SIGNIFICANTLY
REDUCE THE 14.6 BILLION PROPOSED
CORRECTIONS BUDGET AND CLOSE AT
LEAST FIVE ADDITIONAL STATE
PRISONS. THESE ACTIONS WOULD NOT
ONLY YIELD SIGNIFICANT LONG TUM
FINANCIAL SAVINGS, BUT WOULD
ALSO ALIGN WITH CALIFORNIA
SHARED VISION FOR A MORE
EQUITABLE, HUMANE, AND FISCALLY
RESPONSIBLE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. HI, MY NAME IS URSULA.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF. OF TIME.
DONE. AND, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE
THIS WITH YOU GUYS, THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON CORRECTIONS AND
PUBLIC SAFETY PLAYS A CRUCIAL
ROLE IN ENSURING THE SUCCESSFUL
REINTEGRATION OF INDIVIDUALS WHO
HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED BACK INTO
SOCIETY. ONE WAY TO SUPPORT THIS
MISSION IS BY REALLOCATING
BUDGET FUNDS TOWARDS REENTRY AND
TRANSITION PROGRAMS. THESE
PROGRAMS PROVIDE ESSENTIAL
RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO HELP
FORMER INMATES NAVIGATE THE
CHALLENGES OF RETURNING TO THE
COMMUNITY. TODAY, I WILL ADDRESS
THESE REASONS WHY THE
SUBCOMMITTEE SHOULD PRIORITIZE
FUNDING FOR REENTRY AND
TRANSITION PROGRAMS. REENTRY AND
TRANSITION PROGRAMS ARE
ESSENTIAL IN HELPING INDIVIDUALS
WHO HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED AND
SUCCESSFULLY REINTEGRATE INTO
SOCIETY BY REALLOCATING THE
FUNDS TOWARDS THESE PROGRAMS,
THE SUBCOMMITTEE AND CORRECTIONS
AND PUBLIC SAFETY CAN IMPROVE
THE OUTCOMES FOR FORMER INMATES
AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
TODAY, I WILL DISCUSS THE
IMPORTANCE OF INVESTING THE
REENTRY AND TRANSITION PROGRAMS
AND PROVIDE EXAMPLES OF
SUCCESSFUL INITIATIVES THAT HAVE
MADE A POSITIVE IMPACT IN
INDIVIDUALS LIVES. ONE OF THE
MAIN REASONS WHY THE
SUBCOMMITTEE SHOULD REALLOCATE
BUDGET FUNDS TOWARDS REENTRY AND
TRANSITION PROGRAMS IS THAT
THESE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN SHOWN
TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM RATES BY
PROVIDING INDIVIDUALS WITH
NECESSARY SUPPORT AND RESOURCES
TO REBUILD THEIR LIVES. REENTRY
PROGRAMS HAVE HELPED ADDRESS
UNDERLYING CAUSES OF CRIMINAL
BEHAVIOR AND PREVENT INDIVIDUALS
FROM RETURNING TO A LIFE OF
CRIME. FOR EXAMPLE, PROGRAMS
THAT OFFER JOB TRAINING, HOUSING
ASSISTANCE, AND MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN
PROVIDING INDIVIDUALS WITH
SECURE AND STABLE EMPLOYMENT
HOUSING, REDUCING THEIR
LIKELIHOOD OF REOFFENDING.
FURTHERMORE, INVESTIGATING THE
INVESTING IN REENTRY AND
TRANSITION PROGRAMS CAN ALSO
HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON PUBLIC
SAFETY BY HELPING INDIVIDUALS
SUCCESSFULLY REINTEGRATE BACK
INTO SOCIETY. THESE PROGRAMS
REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF THEM
COMMITTING NEW CRIMES,
ENDANGERING THE COMMUNITY, AND
ENDANGERING THE COMMUNITY. FOR
INSTANCE, PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE
SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT AND
COUNSELING HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE
IN ADDRESSING ROOT CAUSES OF
ADDICTION AND REDUCING THE
LIKELIHOOD OF INDIVIDUALS
ENGAGING IN CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.
CAN YOU PLEASE WRAP IT UP? I, I
SUPPORT THE CLOSING OF THE
PRISONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS. GOOD
AFTERNOON. CHAIR. MY NAME IS ED
LITTLE. I AM A GOVERNMENT
AFFAIRS MANAGER WITH
CALIFORNIANS FOR SAFETY AND
JUSTICE, AND I'M SPEAKING IN
REGARDS TO ISSUE FOR
CALIFORNIANS FOR SAFETY AND
JUSTICE EXPRESSES ITS STRONG
SUPPORT FOR THE LAW ANALYSIS
THAT SHOWS THAT THE STATE CAN
CLOSE AN ADDITIONAL FIVE
PRISONS, SAVING THE STATE AROUND
$1 BILLION. IN 2017, WE RELEASED
A REPORT THAT DETAILED HOW THE
STATE COULD CLOSE FIVE PRISONS
AND REINVEST THE SAVINGS IN A
SHARED SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE.
NOW, SIX YEARS LATER, WE HAVE
EFFECTIVELY CLOSED TWO PRISONS
AND ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
CLOSING SEVEN MORE PRISONS. WE
ADVOCATE FOR THESE CLOSURES OF
PRISONS AT A MOMENT OF TIME WHEN
FUNDING FOR VICTIMS ARE PROPOSED
TO BE CUT, WE BELIEVE THAT WE
SHOULD USE PRISON CLOSURE
SAVINGS TO INVEST IN SAFETY
SOLUTIONS THAT MORE EFFECTIVELY
SUPPORT PEOPLE VULNERABLE TO
CRIME, PREVENT CRIME FROM
HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE,
AND STOP THE CYCLE FROM
CONTINUING. INVESTMENTS SHOULD
BE FOCUSED ON REALLOCATION OF
DOLLARS TO COMMUNITY, TO BUILD
SHARED SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE TO
SUPPORT SURVIVORS OF CRIME, AND
TO MAKE SECOND CHANCES REAL, IT
IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE STATE
COMMIT TO CLOSING MORE PRISONS
AND IMMEDIATELY BEGIN PLANNING
FOR THESE CLOSURES. NOW. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR COMMENTS. AND JUST, SO
PEOPLE KNOW ON PUBLIC COMMENT,
THERE IS AN OPTION TO PROVIDE
WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO SUB SIX
COMMITTEE SO WE COULD GET THAT
IN THE DÍAS FOR THOSE THAT HAVE
LONGER THAN A MINUTE,
PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION. GO
AHEAD. THANK YOU. WELL, MY NAME
IS JAMES GLEICHER, AND I'M HERE
ON BEHALF OF TOM DUNN. I'M
SPEAKING TO LEND MY VOICE FOR
THE CALL TO PRIORITIZE PRISON
CLOSURES BY COMMITTING TO CLOSE
AT LEAST FIVE STATE OWNED
PRISONS IN 2024, 25TH MAY REVISE
BUDGET AND CUTTING WASTEFUL
PRISONS, INFRASTRUCTURE
SPENDING. I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF
PROPOSALS TO SIGNIFICANTLY
REDUCE THE 14.6 BILLION PROPOSED
CORRECTIONS BUDGET AND CLOSE AT
LEAST FIVE ADDITIONAL STATE
PRISONS. THESE ACTIONS WOULD NOT
ONLY YIELD SIGNIFICANT LONG
TERME FINANCIAL SAVINGS, BUT
WOULD ALSO ALIGN WITH
CALIFORNIA'S SHARED VISION FOR A
MORE EQUITABLE, HUMANE, AND
FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE JUSTICE
SYSTEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR COMMENTS. GOOD AFTERNOON.
JOSH, ON BEHALF OF THE CHIEF
PROBATION OFFICERS OF
CALIFORNIA, AS YOU KNOW, WITH
THE PASSAGE OF SB EIGHT, 23
COUNTY PROBATION DEPARTMENTS ARE
NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FULL
CONTINUUM OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AT
THE LOCAL LEVEL, INCLUDING CARE
FOR THE HIGHEST NEEDS YOUTH
PREVIOUSLY ADMITTED TO THE STATE
. WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY
ACROSS THE STATE TO STAND UP
QUALITY LOCAL PROGRAMS FOR THIS
POPULATION THAT SERVE AS AN
ALTERNATIVE TO ADULT COURT
WITHOUT WIDENING THE NET OF
INCARCERATION RELATIVE TO ISSUE
THREE, WE HAVE NO CONCERNS WITH
THE TRANSFER OF THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TITLE TWO
GRANTS PROPOSED IN THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET. I KNOW THERE
WAS A CONVERSATION TODAY ABOUT
ADDITIONAL GRANTS TRANSFERRING
OUR MAIN FOCUS IS ENSURING THAT
ANY TRANSITION IN STATE
ADMINISTRATION OF JUVENILE
GRANTS DOES NOT DISRUPT THE
STABILITY, CONSISTENCY AND
CONTINUITY. CONTINUITY OF
JUVENILE JUSTICE FUNDING STREAMS
THAT HAVE PROVIDED THE
FOUNDATION FOR PROBATION
DEPARTMENT SUCCESS WITH OUR VAST
RESPONSIBILITY IN THE JUVENILE
JUSTICE CONTINUUM, PRE DJJ
REALIGNMENT. LASTLY, JUST
SEPARATELY ON BEHALF OF THE
BOARDS OF SUPERVISORS OF THE
COUNTIES OF LOS ANGELES,
RIVERSIDE AND VENTURA, AND THE
URBAN COUNTIES OF CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION, WE'RE ALSO OPPOSED
TO THE ELIMINATION OF THE FINAL
YEAR OF THE PUBLIC DEFENSE PILOT
PROGRAM, FOR THE REASONS
DISCUSSED TODAY. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. GOOD AFTERNOON. CLAIRE
SIMONICH, ON BEHALF OF THE VERA
INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE. I WILL BE
BRIEF. WE OPPOSE THE CUTS TO
PUBLIC DEFENDER SERVICES,
SUPPORT THE INCREASED FUNDING
FOR COMMUNITY BASED
REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS, AND
SUPPORT THE CALLS TO CLOSE
ADDITIONAL PRISONS. AND THE 15%
PROPOSED BUDGET CUT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS TIÂU
NHÀ VARGAS WITH INITIAL JUSTICE
ACTION. SIMILARLY, WE SUPPORT
THE CALL FOR THE LÀ
RECOMMENDATION TO CLOSE AN
ADDITIONAL FIVE PRISONS. WE ALSO
SUPPORT SENATOR WAHAB'S
RECOMMENDATION TO REDUCE THE
CDCR BUDGET BY 15. CDCR'S
POPULATION HAS STEADILY BEEN
DECLINING OVER THE LAST SEVERAL
YEARS. HOWEVER, CDCR'S BUDGET
CONTINUES TO INCREASE. IT'S TIME
THAT WE INVEST THAT MONEY IN THE
COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
OLIVIA GLEASON, AFFILIATED WITH
CALIFORNIANS UNITED FOR A
RESPONSIBLE BUDGET, AND I ECHO
THE COMMENTS JUST MADE IN A TIME
WHERE CLOSING MORE PRISONS IS
MORE POSSIBLE AND NECESSARY THAN
EVER. PRISON CLOSURE OPPONENTS
ARE STARTING TO SAY THE QUIET
PART OUT LOUD. THEY WANT. THEY
WANT EMPTY AND EMPTYING PRISONS
TO STAY OPEN SO THEY CAN FILL
THEM UP AGAIN. I URGE THIS
COMMITTEE TO REJECT TOUGH ON
CRIME LEGISLATION AND POLICIES
DESIGNED TO ERASE A DECADE OF
PROGRESS TOWARD ENDING MASS
INCARCERATION. THÀNH, PRISON
CLOSURE AND POSITIVE PROGRAMING
CAN ALL EXIST TOGETHER, AND
PRISON CLOSURES DO NOT LEAD TO
OVERCROWDING. MASS INCARCERATION
DOES. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO
UPLIFT CURBS PRISON CLOSURE
ROADMAP, WHICH PROVIDES CONCRETE
STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT IMPACTED
PEOPLE AND BUILD UP ECONOMIES
AND JOBS OF THOSE IN TOWNS WHERE
PRISONS CLOSE. I URGE THIS
COMMITTEE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH
THE LÀ RECOMMENDATION TO COMMIT
TO AT LEAST FIVE PRISON CLOSURES
AND SENATOR WAHAB'S PROPOSAL TO
CUT CDCR'S BUDGET BY 15. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR.
CHAIR. MY NAME IS MICAH
DOCTOROFF. I'M A SENIOR STAFF
ATTORNEY AT THE ACLU OF NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA HERE TODAY ON BEHALF
OF ACLU CALIFORNIA ACTION, TO
URGE THE COMMITTEE TO REJECT THE
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED CUTS TO THE
PILOT. THE PUBLIC DEFENSE PILOT
PROGRAM. THESE FUNDS ARE
DESPERATELY NEEDED TO FUND
ALREADY STRUGGLING COUNTY
INDIGENT DEFENSE SYSTEMS WHILE
SAVING THE STATE INCREDIBLY
MONEY, ALSO URGING THE COMMITTEE
TO REJECT THE GOVERNOR'S
PROPOSAL IS THE IMMIGRANT LEGAL
RESOURCE CENTER AND NEXT GEN
CALIFORNIA, WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO
BE HERE TODAY. LASTLY, ACLU
CALIFORNIA ACTION URGES THE
COMMITTEE TO COMMIT TO CLOSING
AN ADDITIONAL FIVE PRISONS
CONSISTENT WITH CURRENT CAPACITY
PROJECTIONS AND THE LÀ
RECOMMENDATION. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, NATASHA
MINSKER SMART JUSTICE
CALIFORNIA. WE URGE YOU TO CLOSE
FIVE PRISONS TO SUPPORT FUNDING,
PUBLIC DEFENSE AND TO FUND
COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS IN
PRISONS THAT WORK TO REDUCE
RECIDIVISM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR COMMENTS. HEY, NICOLE
WATERMAN ON BEHALF OF THE ORANGE
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY IN SUPPORT
OF RETAINING THE PUBLIC DEFENDER
FUNDING, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO
RECEIVE THE FUNDING LAST MONTH
AND DELAYING IT DELAYS ACCESS TO
JUSTICE, PRIMARILY FOR PEOPLE OF
COLOR. THANKS. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR COMMENTS. HI. DAX PROCTOR
OF CALIFORNIANS UNITED FOR
RESPONSIBLE BUDGET, SIMPLY PUT,
PRISON CLOSURE AND
REHABILITATION ARE NOT IN
TENSION WITH EACH OTHER.
REHABILITATION, PROGRAMING AND
PRISON CAPACITY REDUCTION CAN
ALL EXIST TOGETHER. WE URGE THE
LEGISLATURE TO COMPEL CDCR TO
IDENTIFY FURTHER BUDGET
INEFFICIENCIES, AS WELL AS
EXPLORE POTENTIAL COST SAVING
MEASURES IN MULTIPLE AREAS,
INCLUDING THE ELIMINATION OF
WASTEFUL CAPITAL OUTLAY AND
INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING,
STAFFING EXPENDITURES AND
STRATEGIC PRISON CLOSURES IN THE
NEAR AND LONG TERME. IT IS
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT NONE OF
THESE MEASURES WOULD NEGATIVELY
IMPACT PUBLIC SAFETY. A FREQUENT
REBUTTAL IS THAT REDUCTIONS IN
PRISON SPENDING TAKES YEARS TO
REALIZE THAT'S TRUE. BUT AS THE
LAW ASTUTELY POINTS OUT IN THEIR
SUB SIX AGENDA ANALYSIS TODAY,
CALIFORNIA'S BUDGET CHALLENGES
ARE A LONG TERME ISSUE FOR YEARS
TO COME AND WON'T NECESSARILY BE
SOLVED BY ONE TIME SPENDING CUTS
ALONE. WE MUST CREATE A
THOUGHTFUL POLICY FRAMEWORK AND
EXPEDITED TIMETABLE FOR PRISON
CAPACITY REDUCTION FOR FUTURE
YEARS. THIS PRAGMATIC, PRAGMATIC
APPROACH ALLOWS FOR A MORE RAPID
AND STRUCTURED RESPONSE TO THE
EVOLVING NEEDS OF OUR
CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM, WHILE
ENSURING FISCAL PRUDENCE AND
PUBLIC SAFETY. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. HELLO,
ALICIA MONTEIRO, CALIFORNIA
UNITED FOR RESPONSIBLE BUDGET,
WE CONTINUE TO HEAR ABOUT THE
SPACE REQUIRED FOR
REHABILITATION INSIDE THE
PRISONS, AND WE TEND TO HEAR
ABOUT IT IN THE SAME BREATH AS
THE CAPACITY ISSUES THAT WERE SO
RAMPANT NOT TOO LONG AGO. FOR
THOSE OF US DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY
THE SYSTEM, WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE
WERE PLACED THREE IN A CELL.
PEOPLE SLEPT IN THE PRISON, DAY
ROOMS AND GYMS ACROSS THE STATE
WHEN IT CAME TO KEEPING BODIES
INSIDE. THERE WAS NO ISSUE IN
FINDING AND EVEN CREATING SPACE.
CDCR HAS SAID HAS CDCR IS AT
15,000 BEDS NOW, OVER SIX TIMES.
WHAT THEY SAID WAS WAS A DOABLE
BUFFER AT 2500, MY LOVED ONES
BEEN INCARCERATE FOR 24 YEARS
FOR A CRIME COMMITTED WHEN HE
WAS A YOUTH WHERE NOBODY WAS
HURT. THERE IS A WAY TO DECREASE
THE PRISON POPULATION AND CLOSE
PRISONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. HELLO TANA OPPLIGER
WITH CALIFORNIANS UNITED FOR
RESPONSIBLE BUDGET, FIRST, I
URGE THE COMMITTEE TO MAINTAIN
FUNDING FOR THE PUBLIC DEFENSE
PILOT PROGRAMING. FOR REASONS
AFOREMENTIONED. SECOND, I URGE
THE COMMITTEE TO REDUCE CDCR'S
BUDGET BY CLOSING FIVE PRISONS,
WHICH WILL SAVE BILLIONS. AND ON
THIS NOTE, I WANTED TO QUICKLY
RESPOND TO CONCERNS RAISED BY
THE COMMITTEE EARLIER, THAT
CLOSING PRISONS WILL BE
DEVASTATING TO RURAL COMMUNITIES
. SOME COMMUNITIES, SUCH AS
NORCO, CALIFORNIA, HAVE PUBLICLY
EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE
CLOSURE OF THEIR PRISON. THESE
COMMUNITIES KNOW THAT PRISONS
ARE PRISONS AND INCARCERATION
ARE ACTUALLY ECONOMIC HINDRANCES
AND THEY RECOGNIZE THAT
INFRASTRUCTURE COULD BE BETTER
TRANSFORMED AND INTO COMMUNITY
ASSETS THAT CREATE JOBS AND
REVENUE AND BUILD COMMUNITY, AS
HAS BEEN DONE IN STATES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. HI. MY
NAME IS ANABEL NUNEZ. I'M COMING
FROM SANTA ROSA. I'M A COMMUNITY
MEMBER, A MOTHER AND A
GRANDMOTHER, I'M HERE ALSO. I'M
ECHOING EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID
REGARDING CLOSING THE PRISONS.
I'M ALSO HERE TO SPEAK ON THE
INEQUALITY THAT I HAVE
EXPERIENCED IN THE COUNTY THAT I
AM FROM AND IN ORDER TO SAVE
SOME MONEY WITH THESE PRISONS IS
IF YOU TREAT US ALL THE SAME. MY
BROTHER WAS MURDERED, AND HE WAS
SENTENCED TO 39 DAYS IN COUNTY
JAIL, WHERE HE WAS A WHITE MALE
FROM NAPA COUNTY. MY BROTHER IS
A MEXICAN BROWN INDIVIDUAL, IF
YOU TREATED ALL CASES AS YOU
TREATED HIS, YOU WOULD HAVE A
VERY BIG REDUCTION IN YOUR
PRISON POPULATION, THE DEFENSE
WANTED TO PORTRAY MY BROTHER AS
A MURDER AGGRESSOR AND A GANG
MEMBER. AND AT THAT POINT, I
REALIZED THAT EVERY BROWN MALE,
EVERY BLACK MALE, EVERY CHILD OF
COLOR HAS A TARGET ON THEIR BACK
. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. ANY OTHER PUBLIC
COMMENT? HEARING NONE. SUB SIX.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS ADJOURNED