California Jail Overhaul Assessed After 6 Months

California’s realignment program began in October 2011 and is an ongoing program that NCCD has helped facilitate. Under the initiative, more lower-level offenders will be sent to county detention centers rather than state prisons in order to relieve the overcrowding of state prisons. As a result of realignment, California’s prison population has decreased by more than 15%. However, 72% of all offenders were sentenced to jail time and only 6% received probation.

California’s realignment program began in October 2011 and is an ongoing program that NCCD has helped facilitate. Under the initiative, more lower-level offenders will be sent to county detention centers rather than state prisons in order to relieve the overcrowding of state prisons. As a result of realignment, California’s prison population has decreased by more than 15%. However, 72% of all offenders were sentenced to jail time and only 6% received probation. Officials are concerned that offenders are not being offered constructive alternatives, nor are they being supervised upon release. The program is still in its preliminary stages and there is a good chance that we may see improvements in these areas in the near future.