California Recidivism Goals Development and Achievement Act.

Existing law authorizes the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to oversee programs for the purposes of reducing parolee recidivism. This bill would declare the Legislature's intent regarding the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's role in reducing criminal recidivism. The bill would require the department to develop targets approved by the California Rehabilitation Oversight Board and to implement a plan based on those targets to achieve the goal of a reduction in the statewide criminal recidivism rate from 2010 of 20% by 2015 and 40% by 2020. The bill would provide that success towards meeting that goal would be reviewed as part of the annual budget process for the department's budget. The bill would require the department to adopt regulations to require the reporting and verification of the statewide recidivism rate, as specified. Existing law establishes the California Rehabilitation Oversight Board and requires the board to meet at least quarterly and to regularly examine the various mental health, substance abuse, educational, and employment programs for inmates and parolees operated by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Existing law requires the board to report to the Governor and the Legislature biannually, and specifies that the reports shall include, but are not limited to, findings on the effectiveness of treatment efforts, rehabilitation needs of offenders, gaps in rehabilitation services in the department, and levels of offender participation and success in the programs. Existing law requires the board to make recommendations to the Governor and Legislature with respect to modifications, additions, and eliminations of rehabilitation and treatment programs. This bill would, in addition, require the board to examine the programs and services to reduce criminal recidivism that are operated by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The bill would require the board to consult with the department regarding implementing the department's plan to reduce recidivism, and to approve the targets developed by the department for reducing recidivism, as described above. The bill would require the board to periodically review the department's success in meeting those targets and establish criteria for the department to properly measure the department's success in meeting those targets. The bill would also require the board, until January 1, 2018, to submit a report to the Legislature that lists the rehabilitation programs that are available at the county level for prisoners are serving their sentences in a county jail pursuant to a felony conviction, as provided. This reporting requirement would become operative if A.B. 109 becomes operative.