In November 2008, 74 mostly white-collar prisoners were living in group homes in Los Angeles, holding down jobs to pay their living expenses and compensate victims of their crimes.
Now, those 74 are back behind bars. They were sent back to their cells in January after the California prison system was forced to cut $800 million from its budget and the residential job program was cut. But Kimberly Wong, an LA County public defender, says it was the wrong move.
"These kinds of programs are what save the system money," she says. "Why not serve your time at a place where you have a job, pay back restitution fines, and have some money in your own trust account? That will help you reintegrate into society."
Wong gave exactly that argument while testifying Tuesday in Sacramento in support for a new assembly bill designed to reinstate programs like these.
State Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes introduced AB 807 in February to provide a way for more non-violent offenders to work and earn money to pay back court fines and restitution fees to victims. The bill recognizes the difficult battle most prisoners will face upon release. Fuentes writes, "The overwhelming majority of inmates in state prison do not access meaningful job training or other programming while incarcerated and have no immediate employment prospects upon release, which ensures that they will be dependent on government aid."
Job training is often cited as a promising way to keep California's offenders from returning behind bars. Currently, "...of the 125,000 inmates annually released from California prisons, more than one-half will return to prison within two years and more than 70% will return within three years." Jobless ex-prisoners often return to crime because of a lack of employable skills. Keeping Californians away from crime not only means a safer state, but it also saves the prison system money.
Incarcerating one inmate in a California prison now costs the state $46,000 a year, not including substance abuse treatment, mental health programs, educational or vocational training. The California Public Defenders Association says restitution programs cut that cost in half. Fuentes' estimate is slightly more conservative. He writes that "...the cost per day of housing a CDCR inmate in a Restitution Center is approximately $50 compared to $97 per day to house in state prison, which saves at least $17,000 per inmate per year."
The California Assembly agreed and passed AB 807 on Tuesday. The bill modified the eligibility criteria inmates must meet to be accepted to the program. Critics in the CDCR said enough people were not qualifying for the program and beds were being left empty.
AB 807 extends the eligibility requirements to prisoners who have served another term within the past five years. It allows only non-violent, non-serious offenders who don't have a sex conviction.
In an unusual move, the Public Defenders Association was joined in support by unlikely allies. Both the prison guards union (the California Peace Officers Association) and the California Police Chiefs association all signed in support on the bill and the restitution centers.
Wong is hoping the bill will bring more attention to the success of programs like the center.
She is part of a group of lawyers who, along with the CDCR, is involved with a similar residential program for incarcerated women. The Women's Reentry Court Project provides non-violent women who are on parole, or facing a new felony case, a residential program that combines substance abuse treatment, psychiatric care, counseling and education.
"The neatest thing is that their children are involved as well," Wong says. Two children under the age of 11 can live with their mothers as a part of the program. "Many of these women are parents and caregivers to very small children. Letting them be a part of the process is the right thing to do on every level."
The program is funded through a grant with the CDCR and was just renewed for another year. Wong is pleased the program is getting so much support from the CDCR but says it's in their best interest as well. "Frankly, it's a good program for them because it saves them money. There's immediate cost savings and long-term savings. The success rate is 80 percent." 80 percent of women in the program won't be back in jail. Joanne Rotstein, also with the LA County public defenders office, estimates the program has collectively saved 231 years of prison time for the 65 women participating.
Wong says the programs are particularly important for women because she says research shows that they often have different pathways to crime than men. "It's pretty well documented. There are often greater levels of trauma, greater levels of sexual abuse and domestic violence."
Currently, the program is run only in Los Angeles County but Wong hopes the success of the program will mean other models pop up across the state. The cost-saving benefits alone are enough to entice other counties to look at the program. "Because of budget crisis, everyone should be saying 'what can we do to save the state money right now?'"
Now, those 74 are back behind bars. They were sent back to their cells in January after the California prison system was forced to cut $800 million from its budget and the residential job program was cut. But Kimberly Wong, an LA County public defender, says it was the wrong move.
"These kinds of programs are what save the system money," she says. "Why not serve your time at a place where you have a job, pay back restitution fines, and have some money in your own trust account? That will help you reintegrate into society."
Wong gave exactly that argument while testifying Tuesday in Sacramento in support for a new assembly bill designed to reinstate programs like these.
State Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes introduced AB 807 in February to provide a way for more non-violent offenders to work and earn money to pay back court fines and restitution fees to victims. The bill recognizes the difficult battle most prisoners will face upon release. Fuentes writes, "The overwhelming majority of inmates in state prison do not access meaningful job training or other programming while incarcerated and have no immediate employment prospects upon release, which ensures that they will be dependent on government aid."
Job training is often cited as a promising way to keep California's offenders from returning behind bars. Currently, "...of the 125,000 inmates annually released from California prisons, more than one-half will return to prison within two years and more than 70% will return within three years." Jobless ex-prisoners often return to crime because of a lack of employable skills. Keeping Californians away from crime not only means a safer state, but it also saves the prison system money.
Incarcerating one inmate in a California prison now costs the state $46,000 a year, not including substance abuse treatment, mental health programs, educational or vocational training. The California Public Defenders Association says restitution programs cut that cost in half. Fuentes' estimate is slightly more conservative. He writes that "...the cost per day of housing a CDCR inmate in a Restitution Center is approximately $50 compared to $97 per day to house in state prison, which saves at least $17,000 per inmate per year."
The California Assembly agreed and passed AB 807 on Tuesday. The bill modified the eligibility criteria inmates must meet to be accepted to the program. Critics in the CDCR said enough people were not qualifying for the program and beds were being left empty.
AB 807 extends the eligibility requirements to prisoners who have served another term within the past five years. It allows only non-violent, non-serious offenders who don't have a sex conviction.
In an unusual move, the Public Defenders Association was joined in support by unlikely allies. Both the prison guards union (the California Peace Officers Association) and the California Police Chiefs association all signed in support on the bill and the restitution centers.
Wong is hoping the bill will bring more attention to the success of programs like the center.
She is part of a group of lawyers who, along with the CDCR, is involved with a similar residential program for incarcerated women. The Women's Reentry Court Project provides non-violent women who are on parole, or facing a new felony case, a residential program that combines substance abuse treatment, psychiatric care, counseling and education.
"The neatest thing is that their children are involved as well," Wong says. Two children under the age of 11 can live with their mothers as a part of the program. "Many of these women are parents and caregivers to very small children. Letting them be a part of the process is the right thing to do on every level."
The program is funded through a grant with the CDCR and was just renewed for another year. Wong is pleased the program is getting so much support from the CDCR but says it's in their best interest as well. "Frankly, it's a good program for them because it saves them money. There's immediate cost savings and long-term savings. The success rate is 80 percent." 80 percent of women in the program won't be back in jail. Joanne Rotstein, also with the LA County public defenders office, estimates the program has collectively saved 231 years of prison time for the 65 women participating.
Wong says the programs are particularly important for women because she says research shows that they often have different pathways to crime than men. "It's pretty well documented. There are often greater levels of trauma, greater levels of sexual abuse and domestic violence."
Currently, the program is run only in Los Angeles County but Wong hopes the success of the program will mean other models pop up across the state. The cost-saving benefits alone are enough to entice other counties to look at the program. "Because of budget crisis, everyone should be saying 'what can we do to save the state money right now?'"
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