Administration of Justice update 11/1/2013
Corrections Construction Summit Coming Soon
Correctional News is sponsoring an industry networking and educational event on Wednesday, November 13 in Sacramento. The focus of the all-day summit is construction project planning with presentations covering all aspects of the design and building process to ensure successful project delivery.
Counties with an interest are encouraged to contact either Torrey Sims, Correctional News Managing Editor (email or phone at 707-815-2124) or Darren Banks, Correctional News Associate Publisher (email or phone at 415-460-6185 x110).
The day’s event, to be held at the Hyatt Regency in Sacramento, is being put on with the sponsorship of various industry leaders and will feature panel presentations and networking opportunities. Online registration is available here.
Assembly Select Committee on Justice Reinvestment Holds First Hearing
On October 21, the newly created Assembly Select Committee on Justice Reinvestment held its first hearing in the capitol. The 13-member panel co-chaired by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) and Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer (D-South Los Angeles) heard from several speakers who provided an overview of issues affecting California’s prison system.
Drew Soderborg from the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) discussed California’s prison population growth from the 1990s until today. He explained to the committee how an increasing number of prisoners have impacted the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s (CDCR) ability to provide constitutionally adequate inmate medical care.
Don Specter of the Prison Law Office finished out the rest of the hearing with a walk-through of recent litigation, which has resulted in the federal courts becoming intimately involved in the administration of California’s prison system.
The handouts from the Select Committee’s first hearing are available by clicking the links provided below:
- Federal Court Population Cap click here.
- Three Judge Panel Compliance click here.
- Inmate Medical Care click here.
The next Select Committee hearing will be held on November 13 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in State Capitol Room 126. The hearing will focus on collaborative courts, charging practices, and sentencing.
To learn more about the committee’s membership and future meetings, you may go to the Select Committee’s website by clicking here.
CDCR’s Division of Rehabilitative Programs Convenes Advisory Group Assessing Offender Rehabilitation and Reentry Needs
CSAC is pleased to be a member of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s (CDCR) newly formed Director’s Stakeholder Advisory Group, also known as the DSAG. In this role, CSAC staff will be working with the Division of Rehabilitative Programs to provide input and guidance on a variety of topics related to the rehabilitation and reentry needs of offenders both within the prison walls and those returning to our communities. In collaboration with a diverse of group of statewide stakeholders – including law enforcement officials, the courts, and community-based organizations – CSAC will provide feedback and technical assistance on a portfolio of programmatic needs ranging from substance abuse treatment and vocational skills building, to academic literacy and education.
It is the goal of the advisory group to meet quarterly to discuss trends and best practices, provide timely advice on investment decisions, and make policy recommendations to the Division of Rehabilitative Programs as needed.
For more information on the DSAG meeting schedule, mission and membership, please click the following link provided here.