Running head: LOCAL ISSUE

Local Issue

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Local Issue

The contents of this paper are to provide an example of a local issue in that is impacting
the correctional system. The local issue that this paper will examine is the prison realignment
changes that are impacting Solano County. The first portion of this paper will provide a brief
background of the local issue. The rest of the paper will address how this local issue is impacting
the correctional system.
Background
In early 2011, Governor Jerry Brown signed the California realignment policy also
known as AB 109 and 117, which is a solution to reduce overcrowding, costs, and recidivism in
the prison system (Eberling, 2013). AB 109 and 117 focuses on keeping lower-level offenders
and parole violators from being sent to the 33 prisons here in California. These policies were
focused on reducing the number of lower-level prison inmates by 137 percent (Eberling, 2013).
The prison have been over populated for far too long and the cost of cycling lower-level inmates
through the prisons instead of probation or local jails is costly.
In late 2012, voters approved proposition 30 which created a constitutional amendment
that protected the funding for the realignment policy and ensures counties are given the funding
to implement programs to assist with recidivism, safety programs, and other programs to assist
low-level inmates with successful reentry into the community.
Although this bill was signed by Governor Brown in the beginning of 2011 it was
implemented only a few months later. In Solano County when this bill was implemented
approximately 44 percent of the local jail population included inmates that would have been in
the prison system (Eberling, 2013). If anyone can remember this was a difficult time in

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California because the state was facing budget deficits. In the next section the author will address
how this new policy impacted the local correctional system here in Solano County.
Impact on Correctional System
Not only was California experiencing a budget deficit but the whole correctional and
legal institutions were undergoing a massive transformation. Solano County felt this impact
probably just as much as several others counties. This law introduced the concept of yes-yesyes and no-no-no. What this meant was any individual convicted of a felony involving what
the state deemed as a violent, serious or sex crime went straight to prison (yes-yes-yes). Th nono-no individuals were the individuals who were convicted of a felony involving what the state
deemed as a non-violent, non-serious, non-sex felony would now go to jail instead of prison.
Also the no-no-no convicted felons would be under the supervision of the county probation
department rather than the state parole department.
Although Solano County receives an annual amount of $8.6 to fund local and state
programs for this bill it still left an enormous impact on the correctional system and the
community (Eberling, 2013). Not only was Solano County not prepared for these rapid changes
but it caused an increase in low level crimes in the community in the following years. With the
increase of non-violent offenders in the jail system and in the community several issues have
arisen. Fairfield Police Chief Walter Tibbet a year after the bill was signed spoke on numerous
occasions about the impact this bill has had on the local community and within the local
correctional department. Data has shown that theres been an increase in the number of crimes
around the community and the state. A year after the bill was signed data shows that burglaries
increased by 18 percent, theft 4 percent, auto thefts up 43 percent. There have been some data

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that shows that some counties or areas within counties that are not experiencing increases, such
as Suisun City.
With those budget deficits there was also cuts in law enforcement and other facilities
which created more issues in dealing with the influx of inmates in the local jails. Solano County
had two jails and was preparing for an expansion of one the facilities, which would assist in the
increase of housing non-violent offenders. However, with the decrease of correctional officers
and police officers and the increase of inmates and probationers the ratio would be
overwhelming and would cause more safety issues in the jails and out in the community. Another
problem that arose at the beginning was Vallejos bankruptcy which created more inmates to be
transferred to the Solano jails. The probation department now supervises over 2,400 individuals
on probation a year, and although the economy and government funding is increasing this still
poses a risk to these individuals safety, the officers safety, and the communities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this paper addressed a local issue in the county of Solano that impacts
inmates, institutions, officers, and community members. The paper provided a brief background
on the realignment bill and discuss the specific impact of this bill within Solano County. The
information within this paper briefly described how a bill implemented too quickly without
proper planning can impact several areas of the community whether in institutions or out in the
community.

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References

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. (2016). The Cornerstone of

Californias Solution to Reduce Overcrowding, Costs, and Recidivism. Retrieved from
http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/realignment/
Eberling, B. (2013, Feb 24). Prison realignment changes hit home in Solano County. Retrieved
from http://www.dailyrepublic.com/news/solanocounty/realignment-changes-hittinghome-in-solano/