SACRAMENTO, CA – Gov. Jerry Brown today announced his support for the amended “Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act of 2016,” a criminal justice measure that was originally filed in December 2015. This measure will strengthen California’s justice system and increase public safety by expanding rehabilitation in prisons and improving the process by which youth can be tried as adults.
Some key provisions of the ballot measure include the following:
Requires judges, rather than prosecutors, to decide whether minors as young as 14 years old should be tried as adults and sent to adult prison.
Allows persons convicted of a non-violent felony and sentenced to state prison to be eligible for parole consideration after completing the full term of their primary offense.
Grants the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) the authority to award credits earned for good behavior, and rehabilitative or educational achievements.
Members of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC) and other statewide criminal justice reform advocates collaborated to provide fundamental support for this ballot measure.
“Today the Governor has joined a coalition of juvenile justice advocates to affirm that children are different than adults, and to provide opportunities and incentives to thousands of incarcerated individuals to take positive steps towards changing their lives,” said ARC Founder and President Scott Budnick. “We’re delighted to see the Governor lend his support and leadership to this important initiative,” he added.
Read the full text of the “Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act of 2016” here.
For more information, please contact Bikila Ochoa, PhD, Policy Director at the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, at [email protected], or (213) 955-5885.
###
Founded in 2013, the Anti-Recidivism Coalition provides a supportive network and reentry services to formerly incarcerated individuals, and advocates for fair and just policies in the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Together, we serve as a bridge to transformation, purpose, and redemption.
