Solano County grand jury: Prisons in Vacaville need work

By Catherine Bowen / The Reporter
Posted: 06/23/2011 01:32:21 AM PDT

Following an inspection of the county's two prisons, the Solano County grand jury stated Wednesday that more could be done to reduce recidivism rates.

The grand jury's findings were published in a 10-plus page report after multiple visits to the county's two prison facilities, California State Medical Facility and California State Prison-Solano.

In its inquiry, the grand jury found that funding cuts to re-entry programs offered by the prisons have reduced the opportunities for inmates to learn skills that could help reduce the likelihood that they will re-offend and again land behind bars. To remedy the problem, the grand jury recommended the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) evaluate the programs it offers to inmates and redirect funding to those with the most impact on recidivism.

The inquiry also looked into the positive and negative impacts of having the two prisons located within the local community, which ranged from thousands of job opportunities to the cost and services required to support two multimillion-dollar institutions.

According to the report, "The two facilities employ over 5,000 people who contribute to and require support from the local communities."

It goes on to say employees contribute thousands of dollars to the communities through both sales and property taxes, and that local purchases of food and supplies by the prisons also benefit the local community.

In May, the California Assembly passed AB420, which would require the prisoner's home address rather than the area they are incarcerated in to be used in future censuses. Because the county's budget relies on a census-based revenue stream that includes the nearly 8,000 inmates -- which is in danger of changing or being eliminated if the bill, which is now pending in the State Senate, is passed.

The grand jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors add the requirement that the CDCR enter into agreements with local governments to reimburse them for impacts incurred by having prison facilities in their jurisdictions to its legislative agenda.

For more information, or to view the full report, visit http://www.solano.courts.ca.gov/GrandJury/GrandJuryReports20102011.html and click on the report titled "California Medical Facility and California State Prison-Solano."

http://www.thereporter.com/news/ci_18336424