AB 109
AB 109
David Chapman
CJA234
November 18, 2013
Sidney Hammond
AB 109
The prison systems in the world always need to change to support society or the prison systems. Assembly Bill 109 was signed by Governor Edmund Brown Jr. and implemented on October 1, 2011 to close the revolving door of low-level inmates cycling in and out of state prisons. It was a way to reduce the number of inmates in the overpopulated prisons. The California criminal justice system is undergoing substantial changes with the enactment of AB 109. This legislation begins a realignment process from the state to local level. This responsibility is for overseeing people convicted of certain felony crimes. The legislation that was approved will transfer control of thousands of less-serious felony offenders to county control. Many will be on supervised probation or parole which before this legislation would have been eligible for state prison.
One of the reasons that AB 109 was put into place was a lawsuit Plata vs. Schwarzenegger. The result of this court preceding was that California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation was in violation of eight amendments. The United States Supreme court concluded in a 184 page report to tell the state they need to reduce its prison population to 137.5% or 109,805 prisoners within two years. It was found that overcrowding was the primary reason for the unconstitutional medical care that was found to be in violation of the amendments. The courts ordered the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to release prisoners until California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation meet the percent of inmate population in state prisons [The Cornerstone of California’s Solution to Reduce Overcrowding, Costs, and Recidivism, 2013]. On the effective date of October 1, 2011 California counties will be anticipated to control the supervision of prisoners on parole that the last offense was not a violent crime or a sex offense. The exceptions to
David Chapman
CJA234
November 18, 2013
Sidney Hammond
AB 109
The prison systems in the world always need to change to support society or the prison systems. Assembly Bill 109 was signed by Governor Edmund Brown Jr. and implemented on October 1, 2011 to close the revolving door of low-level inmates cycling in and out of state prisons. It was a way to reduce the number of inmates in the overpopulated prisons. The California criminal justice system is undergoing substantial changes with the enactment of AB 109. This legislation begins a realignment process from the state to local level. This responsibility is for overseeing people convicted of certain felony crimes. The legislation that was approved will transfer control of thousands of less-serious felony offenders to county control. Many will be on supervised probation or parole which before this legislation would have been eligible for state prison.
One of the reasons that AB 109 was put into place was a lawsuit Plata vs. Schwarzenegger. The result of this court preceding was that California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation was in violation of eight amendments. The United States Supreme court concluded in a 184 page report to tell the state they need to reduce its prison population to 137.5% or 109,805 prisoners within two years. It was found that overcrowding was the primary reason for the unconstitutional medical care that was found to be in violation of the amendments. The courts ordered the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to release prisoners until California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation meet the percent of inmate population in state prisons [The Cornerstone of California’s Solution to Reduce Overcrowding, Costs, and Recidivism, 2013]. On the effective date of October 1, 2011 California counties will be anticipated to control the supervision of prisoners on parole that the last offense was not a violent crime or a sex offense. The exceptions to
References: Brunett, E. (2013). Cities call for changes in AB 109 administration. Retrieved from Tehachapi news: http://www.tehachapinews.com/lifestyle/x740581198/Cities-call-for-changes-in-AB-109-administration Community, Local Custody. (2013). Retrieved from CDCR: http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/realignment/Community-Local-Custody.html The Cornerstone of California’s Solution to Reduce Overcrowding, Costs, and Recidivism. (2013). Retrieved from CDCR : http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/realignment/