An act to amend Sections 3058.5, 3058.6, 3058.9, and 3451 of the Penal Code, relating to postrelease community supervision.
Impact
The bill is designed to streamline postrelease administrative processes, integrating them better with local service delivery systems, particularly the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) program. By doing so, it aims to foster improved support and control over the reentry of individuals into counties, aligning with best practices that reduce recidivism rates. It imposes additional duties on county probation departments, creating a state-mandated local program that may generate additional costs for counties, thus requiring the state to provide reimbursement for these mandated costs if determined necessary by the Commission on State Mandates.
Summary
Assembly Bill 1737, introduced by Assembly Member Lackey, amends various sections of the Penal Code relating to postrelease community supervision. The bill seeks to enhance the notification process between the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and local county probation departments regarding the release dates of individuals on postrelease supervision. By expanding the responsibilities of the CDCR, it mandates that county probation departments receive advance notifications that include both written and verbal communications no less than 90 days prior to a person’s release. When discharge dates are reset, notifications must be provided within 5 business days but not less than 30 days before the release. This aims to ensure thorough preparedness for local reentry services.
Contention
Critics of the bill argue that the increased administrative burden placed on county probation departments could lead to challenges in resource allocation, as local agencies may struggle to accommodate additional responsibilities without corresponding support. There is concern that while the intent is to enhance public safety and reentry processes, the effectiveness of these measures will depend heavily on adequate funding and training for local agencies, as well as coordination among various stakeholders involved in the release and supervision processes.
Providing that jail credit when consecutive sentences are imposed shall not apply to more than one case, creating special sentencing rules when a felony is committed by certain offenders while on probation, parole or postrelease supervision for a prior felony and requiring secured minimum bonds for certain defendants who commit a new felony while on probation, parole, postrelease supervision or bond for a prior felony unless the court makes certain findings.