By Bob Schmidt, Capitol Morning Report
California's enormous budget problem is making it difficult for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to comply with the court-ordered reduction in its prison population, Corrections Secretary Matthew Cate told 80 Sacramento Press Club luncheon guests Tuesday.
But, said Cate, "It's getting done."
Cate said the inmate population is 200 percent over capacity, and the goal is to reduce that to 137.5 percent. The major effort now --called Realignment-- is aimed at moving less violent inmates into county facilities. But the state budget problem is getting in the way. Cate said some counties want remuneration from the state for their added costs, and the state doesn't have the money.
"There are 58 counties and each has their own way of doing business. But if we can get to the point where we have space to move prisoners, we can operate more efficiently. Right now, if we want to move a prisoner with a less violent history into a facility with similar histories, often there are no available beds."
One consequence of overcrowding is more overtime for prison staff, and that increase costs, Cate said, but the realignment program is reducing overtime needs and thus reducing costs.
Asked about the Correction Department's treatment of juvenile offenders, Cate said the governor "had expressed concern that we were investing in education, elementary and secondary and the college level, and part of having a leaner, meaner prison system means that we have the ability to spend money on such programs."
Another questioner queried Cate on the state program of shipping inmates to prisons in other states. He responded that the department is following the governor's request to end the program because, he said, "People in Arizona, Mississippi and North Carolina are earning a living dealing with these offenders when those jobs could be here.
"That's a primary goal for us, but we have to do it in such a way that we don't run afoul of the Supreme Court's order. We have to reduce the inmate population by 9,000 by July, and 7.000 more six months after that."
Cate said "great strides" had been made in the relationship between the department and the California Correctional Peace Officers Association.
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