Contact: Emily Harris, Californians United for a Responsible Budget – 510-435-1176
Sacramento – Yesterday, the Assembly Budget subcommittee on corrections voted unanimously to pass the Governor’s budget proposal to grant an additional $500 million in lease revenue bond financing to counties to expand their jails, with placeholder language that would give priority to “proposals with a significant focus on program space, classrooms, mental health, and medical space.”
“It’s a shame that the Assembly Budget Committee didn’t take stronger steps to ensure that counties have resources they need to build comprehensive alternatives to jails that are proven to be much more effective in reducing recidivism.” said Endria Richardson of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, who was in attendance yesterday as the Sub Committee passed the entire 17 page agenda with one vote.
The proposal to offer counties $500 million for jail construction would be the third year such funds have been given and would increase the total given to counties for jail construction to $2.3 billion.
- Establishing a clearinghouse that will hire people with felony conviction;
- Investing in Community Based organizations doing work in the community and in prison and jails aimed at reducing recidivism;
- Expanding the Alternative Custody Program to people in women’s jails;
- Expanding credit earning at the local level for people in work furlough programs;
- Presumption of spilt sentencing for realigned prisoners.
