The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday (May 23) upheld a federal court decision that mandated the release of up to 40,000 inmates from the California prison system.

Fortunately, we’ve been working on this issue for almost two years. We have a strategic reentry plan for the county and are in the midst of seeking grants to fund its implementation.

Having a strategic plan puts us — as a county – ahead of the eight ball.

In a 5-4 decision, the high court agreed with a lower court ruling that having about 160,000 inmates in California’s prisons created overcrowded and unhealthy conditions for a system designed to accommodate 80,000 inmates.

Earlier this year, Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 109 – also known as “realignment for public safety” — to transfer about 40,000 low-risk state prisoners to county jails. The bill’s implementation won’t take effect until funding for the county’s are identified.

Brown’s predecessor, former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in order to ease the crowded conditions moved about 10,000 to out-of-state for-profit prisons conditions.

In 2009 after a lower court ordered the state to release thousands of prisoners, the supervisors’ Public Protection Committee chaired by Glover and with Supervisor John Gioia, asked the county to partner with a host of community-based organizations to create a plan to reduce inmate recidivism.

Parolees and probationers have recidivism rates as high as 75 percent. That is unacceptable. My constituents’ first worry is the increased criminal activity will do to their communities and neighborhoods. It creates a burden on law enforcement agencies and the courts as well.

That’s the purpose of getting all these stakeholders on board so we can address the resources needed by the returning inmates in order to give those people every chance to succeed in reintegrating themselves into the real world. Some of the hurdles the returnees face are in housing, job training, drug treatment and family reunification.

Two months ago, the Board of Supervisors approved the strategic plan written up by Oakland-based consultant Urban Strategies.  In these economically troubled times, it was crucial for everyone to have part of the solution.

It will take all of the different departments – probation, health services, the D.A., Sheriff’s Office, Workforce Development and the Public Defender – working diligently with the nonprofits and faith community to make this work.

To see the Contra Costa Reentry Strategic Plan, click on: http://www.cocoreentry.org/?p=381