event Corrections Realignment in California Jun 28, 2013 About the ProgramCalifornia has made historic changes to its public safety system by moving key responsibilities from the state to the counties. This change has dramatically reduced the state's prison population, put new stress on county jails and probation departments, and raised public safety concerns. PPIC research fellow Magnus Lofstrom will provide an overview of realignment to date, and a panel of corrections leaders will discuss challenges and opportunities for state and local officials.
blog post Proposition 57’s Impact on Prisons By Brandon Martin, Magnus Lofstrom Jul 24, 2017 Proposition 57 is expected to reduce the prison population by more than 2,600 inmates in 2017‒18, with a net cost savings of nearly $40 million.
Report Do Local Realignment Policies Affect Recidivism in California? By Mia Bird, Ryken Grattet Aug 20, 2014 In the aftermath of California’s corrections realignment, recidivism patterns did not change dramatically among offenders released from state prison to county supervision. But early evidence suggests that offenders did better if they were released to counties that emphasized reentry services rather than traditional law enforcement.
blog post Rising Jail Populations Mean Rising COVID-19 Infections By Heather Harris Oct 19, 2020 Populations in California’s county jails are on the rebound, which could put people in jails and in surrounding communities at increased COVID-19 risk.
Report Expanding Health Coverage in California: County Jails as Enrollment Sites By Shannon McConville, Mia Bird May 10, 2016 In 2014, the first year of Affordable Care Act (ACA) implementation, the number of Californians with health insurance increased substantially. However, millions of state residents continue to lack comprehensive health coverage, and those who remain uninsured are likely more difficult to enroll through traditional strategies. In this report, we find that uninsured rates are highest for young men and for those with low levels of education, income, and employment. The prevalence of these same characteristics among correctional populations suggests that the justice system—and, in particular, county jails—may offer points of contact for many uninsured individuals who would otherwise be hard to reach. Outreach and enrollment efforts aimed at local jail populations are set within the policy context of California’s 2011 Public Safety Realignment, which created incentives and resources for local corrections agencies to improve reentry outcomes. With expansions in access to health insurance coverage under the ACA, nearly all counties are establishing programs to provide enrollment assistance to jail inmates as part of a more comprehensive reentry strategy. But resources and capacity are limited, so it is important to identify effective models to maximize the potential of county correctional systems as sites of insurance enrollment.
