The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will hold a special session with Gov. Jerry Brown this afternoon to discuss the state’s “prison realignment” plans under Assembly Bill 109.
Seven thousand to 8,000 state prisoners will be reassigned to county facilities beginning Oct. 1, according to Los Angeles County Mayor Michael D. Antonovich.
Fifteen thousand more are expected next year. Those figures don’t include the 9,000 parolees the county would also be forced to monitor.
Antonovich called the prisoner realignment “a Trojan horse style attack” on local governments that would “ensure catastrophic consequences” for Los Angeles County’s criminal justice system.
On April 5, Brown signed AB 109 which changes the law to realign certain responsibilities for lower level offenders, adult parolees and juvenile offenders from state to local jurisdictions.
“AB 109 will give local law enforcement the right and the ability to manage offenders in smarter and cost-effective ways,” said Brown.
Brown characterized the law as a way to improve public safety and empower local governments. He called the state prison system a “revolving door” for lower-level offenders and parole violators who are released within months, often before they are even transferred out of a reception center.
“Cycling these offenders through state prisons wastes money, aggravates crowded conditions, thwarts rehabilitation, and impedes local law enforcement supervision,” said Brown.
Antonovich’s office sees AB 109 as a way of transferring the state’s fiscal crisis to the counties. According to Antonovich’s Communication Deputy Tony Bell, correctional union contracts make it more expensive to house prisoners in state facilities than in the county.
“The state is broke,” Bell said. “But the county is in the black due to a fiscally conservative policy. Now, they want the county to absorb the prisoners at a cost to county taxpayers.”
The state says it will help pay, but Antonovich says the total costs will not be covered.
“Sentencing will not change under realignment; some inmates could serve sentences of up to five years in county jails despite state funding for just six months worth of expenses. Adult parolees and juvenile wards will also become the county’s problem,” Antonovich said.
And then there is an issue of public safety.
“The Sheriff will be forced to make space by releasing misdemeanor offenders into the community before they’ve served their time. Full jails mean no leverage over released felons and parole violators. The capabilities of every law enforcement agency in Los Angeles County will be compromised thanks to realignment.
Bell says L.A. County could see a “spike in crime.”
Antonovich has been in contact with Brown. Bell said “it was clear” the Governor was not aware of the impact of AB 109 on counties.
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The California Department of Transportation has scheduled full freeway closures on the northbound and southbound State Rout 14 / Antelope Valley Freeway between Technology Drive in Palmdale and Avenue A in Lancaster.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit L.A. County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing and playing in ocean waters.
The California Department of Transportation has scheduled full freeway closures on the northbound and southbound State Rout 14 / Antelope Valley Freeway between Technology Drive in Palmdale and Avenue A in Lancaster.
The regular meeting of the Saugus Union School District Governing Board will take place Tuesday, June 6, beginning with closed session at 5:30 p.m., followed immediately by open session at 6:30 p.m.
The city of Santa Clarita’s Film Office released the nine productions currently filming in the Santa Clarita Valley for the week of Monday, June 5 - Sunday, June 11.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit L.A. County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing and playing in ocean waters.
On Saturday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department celebrated 78 young men and women who completed a 14-week “Scouts of America - Learning for life,” Certified Sheriff’s Explorer Academy at S.T.A.R.S. Center in Whittier.
Shelter Animals Count, the most trusted and current source for animal sheltering data, spotlights a trend in dog euthanasia from the newly-released Intake and Outcome Data Analysis report for Q1 2023.
The Santa Clarita Arts Commission will meet on Thursday, June 8 at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 23920 Valencia Blvd. First Floor, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.
Raising the Curtain Foundation, through their Grand Ovation program, honored Jim Sudik and Paco Vela on Thursday, June 1 by naming the dressing rooms at the Newhall Family Theatre for the Performing Arts after the duo.
The Santa Clarita Library's annual Summer Reading challenge will kick off on June 12. The event, sponsored by Friends of the Santa Clarita Public Library, will boast the theme "Find Your Voice!"
Join instructor Katie Pinto at Bouquet Canyon Park on Tuesday, June 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for a fun and interactive Hula Hoop class for adults and seniors.
The city of Santa Clarita Planning Commission will meet June 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 23920 Valencia Blvd. First Floor, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.
City Cinemas in the Park will screen the film "The Little Rascals" on June 23 at 8:30 p.m. The film will be shown in Newhall Park, 24923 Newhall Ave., Santa Clarita, CA 91355.
The city of Santa Clarita is seeking artwork for an upcoming exhibit located in the First Floor Gallery of City Hall. This art exhibition is seeking artwork depicting the theme of "Pop Culture."
By now you have no doubt heard about the waste hauler transition coming to the city of Santa Clarita. Beginning July 1, all residents in our city will begin the process of switching over to Burrtec Waste Industries for their trash service.
California State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) successfully passed eight bills off the Assembly Floor, bringing her total number of bills now in the Senate to 11. Notably, more than half of her bills received bipartisan support.
In collaboration with the Saugus Unified School District, the city of Santa Clarita is excited to announce playground construction plans for Northbridge Park. The project aims to provide recreational space for Charles Helmers Elementary School students and the surrounding Northbridge community. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer.
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