Monday, October 26, 2009

Corrections - Moving Forward

By Gus Kalakis

You might be surprised to hear it, but juveniles in the California juvenile justice system has decreased by almost seven thousand youths. Both youth (and adult) fire crews have helped save the state from around $80 million in the fight against wildfires. Also, the recidivism rate for adult inmates in California is only around 60%.

A new publication, Corrections - Moving Forward, contains these facts and more as part of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) efforts to provide a consistent and comprehensive understanding of today's corrections challenges.

This publication includes a statistical update on everything from inmate population trends to return-to-custody statistics; from the impact of the three strikes inmates to a look at CDCR's entire budget and a summary of the department's 2008-09 accomplishments.

"Transparency in government begins with making information available to as many people as possible," said CDCR Secretary Matthew Cate. "Through the Internet, our collection of data bases and Office of Research, we have worked hard to keep statistics on offender population and programs current and accessible.

Corrections - Moving Forward collects key facts from our expansive correctional system into one comprehensive report. As we face the challenges ahead, using current data to reflect on our population demographics will be crucial. We hope you find this new resource helpful in learning more about our agency."

The CDCR's pahmplet was designed to provide a general overview CDCR statistics and significant trends facing California's largest state agency. Information was provided by the Office of Research, CDCR Budget Office, the Division of Juvenile Justice Research branch, Division of Adult Institutions, and Division of Adult Programs.

This report was produced and printed entirely by CDCR staff to minimize cost while providing much needed information for legislative members, department staff, journalists and others interested in an accurate statistical picture of CDCR's issues and challenges.

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