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>> >>PEGGY: LAST OCTOBER PRISON REALIGNMENT WENT INTO AFFECT IN SAN DIEGO COUNT A. THE
LAW AIMED TO EASE OVER CROWDING IN STATE PRISONS BY SENDING NON VIOLENT CRIMINALS TO COUNTY
JAILS. IT ALSO MEANT THAT WHEN OFFENDERS WERE RELEASED
FROM CUSTODY, COUNTY PROBATION OFFICERS WOULD TAKE OVER SUPERVISION FROM THE STATE.
NINE MONTH NZ TO THE PROGRAM, PROBATION SUPERVISING, IS SUPERVISING MORE PEOPLE THAN THE STATE
PROJECTED AND COUNTY JAILS ARE AT 92% CAPACITY. HERE ARE SOME OF THE NUMBERS.
AS OF JUNEÊ29 MORE THAN 1700 POST RELEASE OFFENDERS ARE BEING SUPERVISED BY THE SAN
DIEGO COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PROBATION. 800 ARRESTED FOR PROBATION VIOLATIONS, AND
ALMOST 1300 HAVE BEEN SENTENCED TO SAN DIEGO COUNTY JAIL.
JOINING ME NOW WITH AN UPDATE ON THE REALIGNMENT ARE SAN DIEGO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY BONNIE
DUMANIS, AND MACK JENKINS, CHIEF OF PROBATION FOR THE COUNTY.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. BONNIE, MY FIRST QUESTION IS FOR YOU.
THERE WERE SIX LOW LEVEL OFFENDERS THAT WERE RECENTLY ARRESTED ON *** RELATED CHARGES.
THAT DOESN'T SOUND NON VIOLENT. >> >>BONNIE DUMANIS: THAT IS THE PROBLEM THAT
WE'VE ALL BEEN WORRIED ABOUT. WHAT NON VIOLENT MEANS IS BY STATUTE.
AND SO YOU CAN HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE VIOLENCE IN THEIR PAST OR GUN USE, OR POSSESSION, AND
CAREER CRIMINALS THAT ARE JUST IN THE LAST THING THEY WERE SENTENCED ON WAS A NON VIOLENT
CRIME. SO NO, IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME.
BUT I THINK THAT IT'S TOO EARLY TO MAKE ANY BROAD BRUSHED CONCLUSIONS FROM THAT.
BUT IT'S CAUSE FOR CONCERN. >> >>PEGGY: CAUSE FOR CONCERN, AND IT WAS
SIX OUT OF ALLÊ >> >>BONNIE DUMANIS: ONE ***, FIVE ATTEMPTED.
IT IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN. >> >>PEGGY: AND CHIEF JENKINS, DO YOU THINK
THESE ARRESTED INDICATE A PROBLEM WITH THE SUPERVISION THAT'S GO ON, OR DO YOU SEE IT
AS A BIGGER PROBLEM? >> >>MACK JENKINS: I DON'T THINK IT REFLECTS
A PROBLEM WITH THE SUPERVISION. AS BONNIE SAID, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY SURPRISE
US. WE WORK WOULD OFFENDERS COMING BACK INTO THE
COUNTY, AND WE KNOW THOSE PEOPLE DO BAD THINGS SOMETIMES.
OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ARRESTED THE, ONE OF THEM WAS REPORTING PRETTY REGULARLY
TO HIS PROBATION OFFICER, ENGAGED IN THE PROGRAMS BUT STILL MADE A DECISION TO DO A VIOLENT
CRIME. I DON'T THINK THAT REFLECTS THE SUPERVISION
WAS LACKING, BUT THAT INDIVIDUAL MADE A DECISION NOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO
CHANGE HIS LIFE. THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT,
BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ON HOLDING THOSE INDIVIDUALS U COUNTABLE, AND PUTTING THEM
INTO VURVE SERVICES SO THEY CAN DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
>> >>PEGGY: SOME OF THESE PRISONERS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT'S BEEN OUT THERE, SOME OF
THEM ARE CAREER PRISONERS. WE HEARD NON VIOLENT, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS SOME SEX OFFENDERS, SOME PEOPLE DEALING WITH EXPLOSIVES, ONE PERSON
WHO HAD A SERIOUS INJURY OFFENSE TO A POLICE OFFICER.
THEY COULD GO TOÊ >> >>DWANE: VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER, DRUG SALES,
THIEVES THAT DO A RING OF CAR, CAR THIEVES, POSSESSION OF GUNS.
>> >>PEGGY: HOW IS THIS NOT CONSIDERED A VIOLENT CRIME IN CONTEXT OF THIS REALIGNMENT PROGRAM?
>> >>DWANE: IT'S NOT AS YOU AND I KNOW IT FROM A LAY PERSPECTIVE.
IT'S JUST BY STATUTE. WE DIDN'T HAVE WE BEING THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS,
DIDN'T HAVE INPUT INTO THAT PROCESS. REALLY, WE WERE SOLD THE CONCEPT AND THAT
CONCEPT HASN'T COME TO BARE LIKE THREE YEARS WOULD BE THE MAX LOCALLY, THE MAXIMUM.
IT'S NOT THREE YEARS. WE HAVE SOMEBODY IN THERE FOR 10 YEARS AND
5 MONTHS AND THE JAILS WERE NOT MEANT TO BE PRISONS.
>> >>PEGGY: THEY WERE MEANT TO BE DETENTION CENTERS FOR UP TO A YEAR, RIGHT?
>> >>BONNIE DUMANIS: UP TO A YEAR. >> >>PEGGY: WELL, MACK, ACCORDING TO A LETTER
UP DATING THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS, SAN DIEGO IS MONITORING MORE OF THESE POST PRISON TRANSFER
TO JAIL OFFENDERS THAN BEFORE. WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DOES IT HAVE ON YOUR OFFICE?
>> >>MACK JENKINS: IT HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT. ONE, BECAUSE THE PERCENTAGE IS HIGHER THAN
HAD BEEN PROJECTED AT THIS TIME, AND ALSO WE HAVEN'T HIRED THE NUMBER OF PRONATION OFFICERS
WE WANTED TO AT IT THIS TIME. WHAT WE'VE DONE IN RESPONSE TO THAT IS BUILT
INCREASED OUR LINKAGES WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. SHERIFF GORE AND I STARTED A PROGRAM CALLED
TRACKING NON OFFENDERS, WHERE THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT SHARES INFORMATION WITH THE SHERIFF
TO ENGAGE STREET SHERIFF DEPUTIES TO ASSIST PROBATION OFFICERS PROVIDING SUPERVISION ON
INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY. WE'RE PUSHING THAT PROGRAM TO EXPAND IT THROUGHOUT
ALL OF THE SHERIFF'S JURISDICTIONS AND THE CHIEFS IN THE COUNTY.
>> >>BONNIE DUMANIS: THAT WASN'T REALLY THOUGHT OUT.
NOBODY WAS READY FOR IT, WHICH IS WHY MACK IS TRYING TO CATCH UP WITH HIRING PEOPLE OUR
OFFICE HAS AN OVER LOAD AS WELL, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT LIKE YOU MENTIONED EARLIER IS ALMOST,
YOU KNOW, FULL. >> >>PEGGY: YEAH, AND I HEARD YOU SAY BEFORE
YOU'RE MAKING LEMONADE OUT OF SOME LEMONS HERE.
ONE QUICK QUESTION, TALK A LITTLE BIT TO ME ABOUT JUST BASIC ISSUE OF RECIDIVISM IN PRISONERS
WHO ARE RELEASED EITHER TO PROBATION OFFICER OARS SUPERVISION.
>> >>MACK JENKINS: WE'VE SEEN SO FAR IN A LETTER WE GAVE TO THE BOARD, 799 ARRESTS,
MORE THAN 500 ARE CALLED FLASH INCARCERATION. WE'VE SEEN ABOUT 216 REVOCATION PRECEDINGS.
WHEN YOU ASK ABOUT RECIDIVISM RATE, IT'S TOO EARLY TO REALLY TALK IN DEFINITIVE TERMS OF
RECIDIVISM. WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT JUST ABOUT 10ÊPERCENT
OF INDIVIDUALS UNDER SUPERVISION HAVE UNDER GONE RAT CATION PRECEDING.
WE WANT TO REVOKE SOMEONE WHO COMMITTED A NEW CRIME OR REPEATEDLY FAILED ON THEIR SUPERVISION.
WE'RE TRYING TO REMOVE THEM FROM THE COMMUNITY AND PUT THEM INTO INCARCERATION FOR AN EXTENDED
PERIOD OF TIME. THAT RATE IS RELATIVELY LOW.
>> >>BONNIE DUMANIS: THE TOOLS THEY HAVE NOW, BEST PRACTICES.
WE KNOW FROM OUR PROGRAM OF REENTRY WE WHETHER PARTICIPATED IN, WHAT IS NECESSARY BECAUSE
IT CAN WORK. WE WANT IT TO WORK.
BUT WE ARE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, PADDLE UP STREAM RIGHT NOW.
>> >>PEGGY: YOU'RE PADDLING UP STREAM, THERE'S LOTS OF NEW PROGRAMS.
YOU WERE FUNDED WITH A 10ÊMILLION DOLLAR PROJECT OVER 5 YEARS AND.
>> >>BONNIE DUMANIS: BACK UP A LITTLE, CAN WE SAVED 10ÊMILLION.
>> >>PEGGY: THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. WHAT I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THAT BASICALLY,
YOU SAVED THAT MONEY, BUT THERE IS NO FUNDING FOR ANY JUST DESIGNATED FUNDING FOR THESE
PROGRAMS TO GO ON. >> >>BONNIE DUMANIS: THEY'VE GIVEN US MONEY
FOR IT BASED ON A FORMULA, BUT STILL, NOTHING IS GUARANTEED.
THEY COULD TOMORROW SAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU THIS MONEY.
AND COUNTY, THIS IS YOUR PROBLEM RIGHT NOW. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO, THE TREATMENT DOLLARS,
THERE PROBATION, THE SHERIFF, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, WE HAVE EXTRA STAFF WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE TO HIRE. >> >>MACK JENKINS: 24ÊPERCENT GOES TO PROBATION
DEPARTMENT, AND 26ÊPERCENT WE'RE PUTTING TOWARDS TREATMENT AND INTERVENTION SERVICES
TO REDUCE THE RECIDIVISM RATE. >> >>PEGGY: IT'S BEEN DESIGNATED ALREADY.
>> >>BONNIE DUMANIS: FOR THIS YEAR. >> >>PEGGY: WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE IT
THERE, BECAUSE WE'RE OUT OF TIME. THANK YOU BOTH FOR TALKING WITH ME.