Visions of Hope - CDC Facts

Facts

California Department of Corrections

Second Quarter, 2000

About the Department

The California Department of Corrections operates all state prisons, oversees a variety of community correctional facilities, and supervises all parolees during their re-entry into society.

Budget: $4.6 billion (1999-2000 Budget Act)
Avg. yearly cost: per inmate, $21,243; per parolee, $2,182.
Staff: 45,976 currently employed including 39,761 in Institutions, 2,912 in Parole, and 3,086 in Administration (about 28,804 sworn peace officers). Felons under CDC jurisdiction: 304,032. One year change: 6,260 + 2.12%.

. . . and the State Budget

While it is the largest in terms of staffing, Corrections' operating budget is just 7.2 percent of the state General Fund in the 1999-2000 Budget Act.

About Construction

Since the early 1980s, Corrections has been involved in the largest prison building program in the United States. The Department of Corrections' Master Plan predicts that the growing inmate population will exceed maximum operating prison capacity of 177,197 in April, 2004.
Cost: $5.27 billion; Total Beds Completed: 113,904

About Prisons

FACILITIES: 33 state prisons ranging from minimum to maximum custody; 38 camps, minimum custody facilities located in wilderness areas where inmates are trained as wildland firefighters; and 8 prisoner mother facilities.

POPULATION: All Institutions: 160,846.
One year change: 1,797 + 1.2%.
Prisons: 148,839. Camps: 4,126. Community Facilities: 7,648 Outside CDC: 1,929 At large: 356 USINS (Immigration) Holds: 22,117.
Top 5 counties: LA; 34.3%, San Diego; 8.2%, San Bernardino; 6.2%, Orange; 5.3%, Riverside; 5.4%.

CHARACTERISTICS: Males: 93.0% Females: 7.0% Parole Violators: 16.6%. Race: 29.4% white; 31.4% black; 34.0% hispanic; 5.2% other.
Offense: 43.0% persons; 22.4% property; 28.1% drugs; 6.5% other. Classifications (males): 36.7% Level I; 18.5% Level II; 22.6%; Level III; 20.0% Level IV; 2.2% Special Security. Condemned: 564 Avg Reading Level: Seventh grade Average Age: 34. Employed: 58.9% Ineligible: 28.1% Waiting List: 13.0% Avg Sentence: 41.4 months; Avg Time Served: 23.0 months. Commitment Rate: 472.5 per 100,000 California population. Assault Rate (per 100 ADP): 4.3 in '98; 4.3 in '97; 3.3 in '96. Escape Rate (per 100 ADP): 0.02 in '98; 0.04 in '97; 0.05 in '96.

About Parole

FACILITIES: 32 re-entry centers, 1 restitution, 1 drug treatment, and 16 community correctional facilities (CCFs). Most are operated by public or private agencies under contract to CDC. Parole staff monitor these facilities.

OFFICES: 136 parole offices in 70 locations. 4 parole outpatient clinics and 56 clinicians.

POPULATION: Total: 118,136. One year change: 5,406 + 4.8%.
Paroled to county of last legal residence: 80.3% Other: 19.7%
Region I (North/Central Valley): 24,058; Region II (Bay Area/North, Central Coast): 23,007 Region III (LA County): 40,614; Region IV (San Diego/S. CA) 30,457 Return rate (per 100 avg daily pop) with new prison term: 14.1;
Return rate (per 100 avg daily pop) as parole violator: 57.1
Top 5 counties: LA; 28.8%, San Diego; 6.4%, San Bernardino; 5.7%, Orange; 5.0%, Riverside; 4.8%.

CHARACTERISTICS: Males: 89.2% Females: 10.7% Race: 30.4% white; 25.7% black; 39.2% hispanic; 4.7% other. Offense: 25.7% persons; 26.9% property; 37.3% drugs; 10.1% other.
Median Age: 35