FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: May 23, 2013Contact: Selena Teji, Communications and Policy Analyst (415) 621‑5661 x. 123
2011 data provide baseline and intial effects of realignmentSan Francisco, CA: CJCJ’s California Sentencing Institute (CASI) released its 2011 data today, providing a statewide baseline of county practices prior to, and in the initial stages of, AB 109 implementation.
View the 2011 data »California’s public safety realignment bill, AB 109, shifted responsibility for thousands of low-level offenders to the county level in an unprecedented effort to relieve state prison overcrowding and promote local alternatives to incarceration. Preliminary data analysis suggests it is upholding public safety.
The California Sentencing Institute provides a more nuanced statewide reporting of how criminal justice policies are being implemented. The county-by-county interactive map follows local sentencing practices since 2009, showing evolving trends and stark geographic disparities.
Statewide, the latest CASI numbers show that prison populations declined by nearly 9% by December 31, 2011, compared to December 31, 2010, reflecting the 14% drop in new prison admissions due largely to the initial effects of Realignment, which took effect on October 1, 2011.
A new California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) report covering the first year of Realignment finds there has been little difference in outcomes for people released from the CDCR before and after realignment.
However, county incarceration trends show wide variation, resulting in concerning civil rights and economic implications. For a review of available post-realignment data for comparison, see Beyond Realignment, showing that large disparities in county imprisonment rates underlie ongoing prison overcrowding.
# # #
For more information about this topic or to schedule an interview with a CJCJ representative, please contact CJCJ Communications at 415−621−5661 x 123 or cjcjmedia@cjcj.org.
Juvenile justice 2011 data coming soon…