Calif. Counties Seek To Reduce Re-Offense Rate
SANTA ANA (AP) — California's 58 counties are grappling with the best way to cut the re-offense rate for former state prisoners who are now being released to the counties for local supervision.
Under a 2011 that overhauled the state's criminal justice system, felons being released from prison for lower-level offenses are now followed by county probation departments instead of state parole agents.
Low-level felons convicted after the passage of the law, often called "realignment," are also supervised by local authorities.
Counties are working to develop new programs to keep these ex-cons from re-offending.
Ideas range from keeping soon-to-be-released inmates in a "re-entry" pod to ease their transition into society to offering classes that feature role-playing and journaling.
Yet there are no statewide numbers to show if re-offense rates have dropped.
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