What Is Ab 109?
In April 2011, the California Legislature and Governor Brown passed sweeping public safety legislation (AB 109) that effectively shifted responsibility for certain populations of offenders from the state to the counties. Assembly Bill 109 establishes the California Public Safety Realignment Act of 2011 which allows for current non-violent, non-serious, and non-sex offenders, who after they are released from California State prison, are to be supervised at the local County level. Instead of reporting to state parole officers, these offenders are to report to local county probation officers.
AB 109 is fashioned to meet the U.S. Supreme Court Order to reduce the prison population of the State’s 33 prisons. Noteworthy is the fact that no inmates currently in state prison will be transferred to county jails or released early. The law, effective October 1, 2011 also mandates that individuals sentenced to non‐serious, non‐violent or non‐sex offenses will serve their sentences in county jails instead of state prison.
The Post-Release Community Supervision Act of 2011 requires the County’s post-Release supervision strategy be consistent with Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) to reduce recidivism (Penal Code 3450). As a result, the Probation Department implemented and continues to strengthen its program model to be consistent with EBP research.
Community Corrections Partnership (CCP)
The Public Safety Realignment legislation (AB 109) required that each county’s Community Corrections Partnership (CCP) develop an AB 109 implementation plan. As of October 1, 2011, the implementation of the AB 109 plan is coordinated through the Countywide Criminal Justice Coordination Committee’s (CCJCC) Public Safety Realignment Team (PSRT), which was created by the Board of Supervisors in February 2011 to report and advise the Board on public safety realignment matters.
In an effort to continuously improve the program, the Department is involved in several projects.
The Department is in the process of implementing The Carey Guides as its CBI program to be incorporated into current case planning and case management practices to address criminogenic needs (life areas) that contribute to criminal offending. Training in EBP, Effective Case Planning & Management, and the Use of the Carey Guides is underway and is scheduled to be completed by April 2018. The use of this CBI will enable staff to engage in teaching and practices skills to our clients in order to disrupt problematic thinking patterns that contribute to criminal behaviors.
The Department has implemented the “Healing Trauma” Women’s Group, which is an Evidence-based Program that addresses the trauma experienced by many of the women re-entering the community from state prison or county jail. The program is facilitated by Department staff in small group sessions. After an initial pilot program, the Women’s Group programming is being implemented throughout the County and the Department will be determining if a comparable program can be developed and implemented for male clients who have experienced trauma.
In an effort to address the number of PSPs and probationers in the Skid Row area of the city of Los Angeles, the Department placed two (2) DPOs with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Station. Using the Mobile Resource Center, the two DPOs along with staff from the contracted housing provider, the Department of Mental Health, and the Department of Public Health are deployed to the Skid Row area twice a month to facilitate mobile office reporting. The goal of the project is to transition supervised persons from homelessness into permanent housing.
The Department is in the process of developing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for an AB 109 Counseling Services contract to be provided by one or more Community Based Organizations. The services would provide family/marital counseling, parenting classes, mediation services to reduce conflict and build positive family relationships and communication.
Probation staff are in the process of developing a Statement of Work (SOW) for a future RFP for Gang Intervention services to be provided by one or more Community Based Organizations. The services may include but are not limited to the following: case management; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy specific to gang membership and activities; tattoo removal; and peer mentorship.