Report 2018-113 Recommendation Responses
Report 2018-113: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation: Several Poor Administrative Practices Have Hindered Reductions in Recidivism and Denied Inmates Access to In‑Prison Rehabilitation Programs (Release Date: January 2019)
Recommendation for Legislative Action
To ensure that Corrections' rehabilitation programs reduce recidivism, the Legislature should require Corrections to do the following:
- Partner with external researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of its rehabilitation programs and implement the three-year plan described below.
Year One: Fiscal Year 2019-20
Corrections drafts scope of work, selects an external researcher to conduct the analysis, defines what data elements the researchers may require, and creates targets.
Year Two: Fiscal Year 2020-21
External researcher conducts recidivism analysis and Corrections develops and begins implementing a corrective action plan.
Year Three: Fiscal Year 2021-22
Corrections modifies as necessary and continues implementing its corrective action plan. It also reports to the Legislature and creates new targets and policies given the results of the recidivism analysis. Depending upon the results of the analysis, Corrections eliminates or modifies programs that prove ineffective.
Description of Legislative Action
As of January 31, 2022, the Legislature has not taken action to address this specific recommendation.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: January 2022
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: No Action Taken
Description of Legislative Action
As of January 31, 2021, the Legislature has not taken any additional action to address this specific recommendation.
AB 1688 (Calderon/Jones-Sawyer, 2019), in part, would have required Corrections by December 1, 2020, to draft a scope of work, select and contract with an external researcher to conduct a recidivism analysis of the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs, define the data elements for purposes of the analysis, and create performance targets. This bill was vetoed by the Governor.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: February 2021
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: No Action Taken
Description of Legislative Action
AB 1688 (Calderon/Jones-Sawyer), in part, would have required Corrections by December 1, 2020, to draft a scope of work, select and contract with an external researcher to conduct a recidivism analysis of the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs, define the data elements for purposes of the analysis, and create performance targets. This bill was vetoed by the Governor.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: January 2020
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Legislation Vetoed
Description of Legislative Action
AB 1688 (Calderon/Jones-Sawyer), in part, would require Corrections by December 1, 2020, to draft a scope of work, select and contract with an external researcher to conduct a recidivism analysis of the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs, define the data elements for purposes of the analysis, and create performance targets.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: July 2019
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Legislation Introduced
Description of Legislative Action
AB 1688 (Calderon) would require Corrections, by June 30, 2020, to contract with a researcher to conduct a recidivism analysis of the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs and to create performance targets. In the following fiscal year, Corrections would be required to develop and implement a corrective action plan based on the recidivism analysis and performance targets, and in fiscal year 2021-22, implement the corrective action plan. The bill would require Corrections to annually report to the Legislature on the recidivism analysis, performance targets, and corrective action plan.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: April 2019