prison

New Study Gives Snapshot of Realignment Results

Katie Orr — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:34:20 +0000

The California Corrections and Rehabilitation Department offered a glimpse today of how realignment is working. The program diverts low-level offenders to county jails in an effort to reduce state prison overcrowding.

A study done by the department compares inmates released pre- and post- realignment. It found post-realignment offenders were re-arrested at a lower rate than pre-realignment offenders. Both groups were convicted of new crimes at nearly the same rate. The department’s Jeffrey Callison stresses this is just a snapshot.

State Raises Questions About Moving Inmates At Risk of Valley Fever

Rebecca Plevin — Tue, 07 May 2013 16:39:30 +0000

In a motion filed in U.S. District Court yesterday, the state Attorney General raised questions about the federal order to exclude inmates especially vulnerable to valley fever from two Central Valley prisons.

Prison Health Advocates Call For More Steps to Stop Valley Fever Outbreak

Rebecca Plevin — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:44:04 +0000

On Monday afternoon, the federal receiver in charge of health care in California’s prisons ordered the state prison to remove inmates from two Central Valley prisons who are especially at risk of contracting valley fever. A day later, the state and experts are digesting that directive. Valley Public Radio's Rebecca Plevin reports, as part of the Reporting on Health Collaborative’s investigation into the disease.

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Is More Parole The Answer For Overcrowding in California Prisons?

Katie Orr — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:01:17 +0000

Governor Jerry Brown has until Thursday to release a plan for reducing prison overcrowding in California. Releasing more inmates may not be popular, but one law professor says it could be the way to go. Katie Orr reports from Sacramento.

About 30,000 inmates are serving life sentences in California prisons. Of those inmates, about 9,000 are currently eligible for parole. UCLA Law Professor Sharon Dolovich says if the state is looking to reduce its prison population, that might be a good place to start.

Inmates At Risk of Valley Fever To Be Moved From Two Valley Prisons

Joe Moore — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:59:22 +0000

The federal receiver in charge of health care in California’s prisons is ordering the state to remove inmates from two Central Valley prisons who are especially at risk of contracting the fungal disease known as valley fever. The move affects about 40 percent of the inmate population at Avenal and Pleasant Valley State Prisons.

Those affected include African Americans, Filipinos, inmates who are HIV positive, have compromised immune systems, or are pregnant or elderly.

Judge Criticizes State's Potential "Ethical Violations" in Prison Case

Julie Small - KPCC — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:30:43 +0000

A federal judge says California may have committed ethical violations in a lawsuit over prison mental healthcare. KPCC’s Julie Small reports the judge’s stern rebuke could de-rail Governor Jerry Brown’s push to free the state from over a decade of federal oversight.

California GOP Lawmakers: Realignment Not Working, So Fix It

Ben Adler — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:43:27 +0000

Republicans in the California legislature are criticizing Governor Jerry Brown’s shift of prisoners from the state to counties – and putting forth legislation they say would help reduce the risk to public safety.

GOP Senator Jim Nielsen says the program known as criminal justice “realignment” needs to be scrapped.

“It unleashed an unprecedented crime wave affecting everyone in the state of California, and I’ll argue no bill ever passed by this legislature has had more dire and severe and egregious consequences,” says Nielsen.

1500 Inmates Serving More Time in Jails Designed for Shorter Stays

Julie Small — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 01:02:33 +0000

A survey by the state Sherriff’s Association shows over 1500 inmates in California are serving 5 years or more at local jails that are equipped for shorter stays. As KPCC’s state capitol reporter Julie Small reports, the survey looked at the effects of California’s realignment law.

Central Valley Lawmaker: California Should Give Counties More Money to Fund Realignment

Marianne Russ — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 22:22:14 +0000

A California lawmaker says the shift of tens of thousands of state prisoners to county supervision has become a strain for some counties. As Marianne Russ reports from Sacramento, he wants the state to give those counties more money.

Brown Demands Relief from Federal Court Order on Prisons

Ben Adler — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 18:11:24 +0000

A defiant Governor Jerry Brown is proclaiming an end to the state of emergency in California prisons and demanding that the federal courts let the state run its own corrections system again. But as Ben Adler reports from Sacramento, there’s no guarantee the courts will do as he asks.