California Black Media

Report: Recidivism in California Prison System Remains High

Despite providing educational and employment programs and reentry pathways, recidivism in California prisons remains high, derailing the rehabilitative mission of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). The department launched various programs in 2005 to reduce recidivism and help formerly imprisoned people transition back into the workforce and society. According to a report by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), the two-year reconviction rate decreased by 7% in 2019. However, 62% of people released from prison between 2015 and 2019 were rearrested and 37% were reconvicted for any crime.

Published

9 months ago

August 19, 2024

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

The department launched various programs in 2005 to reduce recidivism and help formerly imprisoned people transition back into the workforce and society.

According to a report by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), the two-year reconviction rate decreased by 7% in 2019. However, 62% of people released from prison between 2015 and 2019 were rearrested and 37% were reconvicted for any crime.

Participation in rehabilitative employment programs increased from 8% in 2015 to 30% in 2019 in prisons statewide, according to the report.

State prisons also hired over 200 new academic and vocational instructors, growing participation in educational programs by 9%. Prisons offered career technical education (CTE) programs to supplement existing primary and secondary education classes. These programs improved the reading and math skills of imprisoned individuals.

“On average, people entering prison tested into primary education with eighth-grade level reading scores and sixth- to seventh-grade level math skills,” the report reads.

A majority of the people reconvicted were charged with a drug offense or possession. More than half of the people who get rearrested participate in rehabilitation programs. However, people with previous prison histories and shorter sentences were less likely to participate in educational and employment programs. Yet, people with longer prison sentences had a higher participation rate in rehabilitative employment and educational programs.

“On another front, substance abuse may pose the greatest obstacle to successful reentry — a threat that has likely grown amid the opioid and fentanyl crisis. Ensuring broader access to substance use disorder treatment should be a priority,” the report stated.

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Oakland Post: Week of May 7 – 13, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 7 – 13, 2025

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The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 30 – May 6, 2025

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Gov. Newsom Approves $170 Million to Fast Track Wildfire Resilience

AB 100 approves major investments in regional conservancies across the state, including over $30 million each for the Sierra Nevada, Santa Monica Mountains, State Coastal, and San Gabriel/Lower LA Rivers and Mountains conservancies. An additional $10 million will support wildfire response and resilience efforts.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Courtesy of California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Facebook page.

By Bo Tefu
California Black Media

With wildfire season approaching, last week Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 100, unlocking $170 million to fast-track wildfire prevention and forest management projects — many of which directly protect communities of color, who are often hardest hit by climate-driven disasters.

“With this latest round of funding, we’re continuing to increase the speed and size of forest and vegetation management essential to protecting communities,” said Newsom when he announced the funding on April 14.

“We are leaving no stone unturned — including cutting red tape — in our mission to ensure our neighborhoods are protected from destructive wildfires,” he said.

Newsom also signed an executive order suspending certain regulations to allow urgent work to move forward faster.

This funding builds on California’s broader Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, a $2.7 billion effort to reduce fuel loads, increase prescribed burning, and harden communities. The state has also launched new dashboards to keep the public informed and hold agencies accountable.

California has also committed to continue investing $200 million annually through 2028 to expand this effort, ensuring long-term resilience, particularly in vulnerable communities.