Parole Orientation Program Helps Reduce Recidivism in Oakland
 

Sacramento

   Repercussions resulting from the California budget crisis have raised big questions in costly prison spending at both state and county levels. Proposed expenditure reductions have resulted in a review of the California parole system and imprisonment for low-level drug offenders and other non-violent offenses.

   The California Department of Corrections operates all the state¹s prisons and supervises all parolees during their re-entry into society. CDC fourth quarter reports for the year 2002 include a 2002-2003 budget of $3.9 billion. This translates to an annual cost per inmate of $26,690 and $2,769 per parolee.  

   The department operates with a staff of 48,756. CDC reports that there are 303,432 felons under its jurisdiction.

   California presently has more than 116,000 parolees.  Upon completion of their prison term, ex-offenders are placed on mandatory parole supervision. California¹s recidivism rate is almost double the national average in part due to technical violations of parole terms.

   Few prisoners complete a reentry program before being released from prison, but at least a quarter of released prisoners get education or vocational training while in prison.

   Recognizing the importance of the first 90 days of parole, the city of Oakland has inaugurated a parole orientation program that has helped keep parolees from going back to prison. This program was launched in 1999 and is proving quite successful.

   State officials are taking a look at proposals for early release of nearly 100,000 nonviolent and more than 500 elderly prisoners. A significant reduction in California’s prison population would allow for the closure of San Quentin prison and the women¹s facility in Stockton.

   In addition to saving San Quentin¹s annual operating budget of more than $11 million, the sale of the San Quinton site to private developers would make millions of dollars available immediately to ease the financial crisis in the state.

   California Gov. Gray Davis approved the parole of a 71-year-old Laotian prisoner who was convicted of murder relating to a hate crime. The California Supreme Court recently affirmed the Governor's parole veto power. The action gives the governor broad powers to block parole of life prisoners.

Oakland

   There were 113 homicides here in 2002, prompting city officials, local pastors and civic leaders seek solutions to stemming this violence. The Oakland Police Department is accelerating its effort in both preventative and investigative services in the vulnerable geographic areas. Additional officers are being added to the force.

   Additional police coverage and proactive social programs to meet the needs of the various ethnic neighborhood groups is important. Equally important is the need to establish the confidence of residents to assist in local investigations.  Many fear for their lives if they are found to be cooperating with the police.  

   The Rev. Bob Jackson, pastor of Acts Full Gospel Church, is calling for members of his church and other clergy to fast and participate in a program of preventative prayer calling for divine intervention in reducing this violence.

   A proposed multipurpose East Oakland youth center is set to open in the year 2004 in hopes of improving the lives of young people and curtailing crime and violence in an area were there are high rates of crime and poverty.
   
Alameda County

   Sheriff Charles Plummer has been appointed as the new interim chief of the county's probation department. Plummer has pledged to rebuild confidence in the leadership of the probation department and the juvenile correctional facility staff when he replaces outgoing Probation Chief Sylvia Johnson later this month.

Solano State Prison

   The Ninth Circuit Court has held that Muslim prisoners at Solano State Prison may attend Friday services and wear short beards. The Department of Corrections maintained that allowing inmates to attend the Friday service was disruptive and that a ban on beards was needed to maintain uniform inmate grooming standards.  

   The state's religious freedom law stipulates that no one should be denied a reasonable opportunity to exercise his religious ceremony unless it jeopardizes security.