California state prisons house nearly 130,000 inmates. Each year, these prisons release tens of thousands of offenders into the community after serving their sentences. While incarcerated in prison, offenders often participate in various rehabilitation programs that seek to improve the likelihood that offenders will lead a productive, crime-free life upon release from prison by addressing the underlying factors that led to their criminal activity. These programs include education and substance use disorder treatment. When such programs are well-designed and implemented effectively, various studies show that they can reduce the number of offenders who recidivate (or reoffend) and that the resulting savings can more than offset their costs. In this report, we (1) provide background information on the state’s in-prison rehabilitation programs (including their intended goals), (2) outline key program principles for maximizing reductions in recidivism, (3) identify key shortcomings in the state’s rehabilitation programs, and (4) make recommendations to improve how the state provides in-prison rehabilitation programs
In-Prison Rehabilitation Programs Intended to Reduce Recidivism.
Key Principles for Rehabilitation Programs to Reduce Recidivism.
CDCR In-Prison Rehabilitation Programs Have Several Shortcomings.
LAO Recommendations.
• Require Programs Be Evidence Based.
• Measure Actual Cost-Effectiveness of Rehabilitation Programs.
• More Effectively Target Programs to Highest-Risk and Highest-Need Inmates
• Improve Efficient Use of Existing Rehabilitation Resources
• Improve Performance Measures to Conduct Regular Oversight.
LAO – LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE
Peterson, J. & Lee, A. (2017). Improving In-Prison Rehabilitation Programs. LAO Publications
