Everything You Need to Know About the California Realignment Program

Posted on: February 3rd, 2022 by Dod Law

When California enacted the Realignment Program in 2011, it was intended to reduce overcrowding in state prisons and alleviate the devastating financial burden on taxpayers. This program also sought to improve public safety by diverting low-level offenders into local communities and providing them with rehabilitative services.

The goal of the Realignment Program is to make California safer by reducing recidivism rates and improving rehabilitation opportunities. This program has had a huge impact on inmates, their families, and local communities.

What Is the California Realignment Program?

California’s Realignment Program is a reentry program designed to reduce the overall prison population. The goal of this program is to help low-level offenders serve their time in a local jail and reduce the jail population in state prisons. The Realignment Program places low-level offenders in county jails and releases some individuals to serve their sentences at home.

As a result, the local community benefits from the Realignment Program. This program allows counties to reduce overcrowding in their jails and provides them with funding to use for additional rehabilitative services.

Why Was the California Realignment Program Created?

The Realignment Program was designed to address overcrowding and recidivism rates in state prisons. Prior to 2011, the California Correctional System was severely overcrowded and faced staggering costs each year to house state inmates. The Realignment Program was designed with two main goals in mind:

• Reduce overcrowding in state prisons
• Provide rehabilitative services for offenders returning from prison

California’s Realignment Program works to achieve its goals through its reentry services program.

How Does the Realignment Program Work?

After someone is convicted of a non-sexual or non-violent felony, they can seek time in a county jail instead of a state prison. County jails are often better for inmates than state prisons, with smaller populations and less security. Such an environment usually allows inmates to receive rehabilitative services while they are incarcerated. The Realignment Program reduces overcrowding by diverting low-level offenders into local jails.

In addition, those convicted of specific qualifying crimes might be able to avoid incarceration completely. This can occur either through a post-release community supervision program or parole. Convicts can work, take care of their families, and live at home.

Impacts of the California Realignment Program

Reentry into the community can be difficult, and many inmates have trouble finding employment and housing. Providing rehabilitative services to inmates and placing them in local jails allows them to maintain a connection with their communities while they serve their sentences.

The Realignment Program is designed to reduce recidivism rates by providing inmates with educational, vocational, social, and rehabilitative services while they serve their sentences. When inmates are released from jail, they have the skills and resources needed to remain crime-free upon release.

Contact a Skilled California Criminal Defense Lawyer at Dod Law, APC

The California Realignment Program has improved the rehabilitative services for inmates and improved public safety by trying to reduce recidivism rates. By placing low-level offenders in local jails instead of state prisons, the program allows many former inmates to return to their communities and find employment, housing, and other resources they need to survive. The program also provides funding for counties to spend on rehabilitative services or other programs.

Dod Law, APC has more than seventeen years of experience helping legal clients. our criminal defense attorneys can help clients seek relief through California’s Realignment Program, either for an earlier, monitored release or transfer to a local jail. For a free consultation, you can fill out our contact form or call (619) 814-5110.