Alameda Probation Chief sees opportunity in prison reform
When David Muhammad became the Chief Probation Officer for Alameda County six months ago, he had big ideas about how to change the system for the better. “Departments around the country have been good...
View ArticleContra Costa scrambles to prepare for prison reform
“All of us are in frantic mode,” said Contra Costa County’s Chief Probation Officer Phil Kader. He spoke as he passed out a tentative budget to the 14 criminal justice and social service professionals...
View ArticlePrison reform comes to Merced when jails are already full
Merced County sees the October realignment of state prisoners into county supervision as a chance to try something different in their approach to crime prevention. “Evidence-based practices show the...
View ArticleEx-offenders may soon find a home in public housing
Shelter has always been a problem for people leaving prisons - felons typically aren't welcome in public housing. That might change soon in Los Angeles County, which is bracing for an influx of...
View ArticlePrison reform legislation short on money and ideas, Kern Co says
Prison reform tossed responsibility for low-level offenders to the county. Kern County says it will do a better job than the state in dealing with people who have broken the law - because it has no...
View ArticleAfter realignment, fewer women expected in prison
Half of women in California prisons are there for non-violent crimes - the kind of offenses that will be managed on the county level after prison realignment starts Oct. 1. Women's needs are different...
View ArticleDAs ponder and prepare for long-term effects of prison realignment
The effects of prison realignment will remain unclear until after – perhaps months after –prison reform starts next week. Two district attorneys from very different California counties consider how AB...
View ArticleLack of local services limits prison mom release program
Thousands of mothers currently incarcerated in the State prison system are now eligible to serve out the end of their sentences at home or in local facilities. To qualify for the program, women must be...
View ArticleRestorative justice helps integrate ex-offenders
By Lynn Graebner What if the first thing on the to-do list for people coming out of prison was to repair the relationships with loved ones who were most hurt by the crime and it’s consequences? A tool...
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