(December 7)   The county of San Bernardino will spend $1.146 million to provide transitional housing for state inmates transferred to the county sheriff’s care who are being released early for good behavior and space constraint considerations.
The released inmates, who were given sentences that are considerably longer than the time they will actually serve, are without means – either financial resources or employment – to house themselves.
According to Audulio Ricketts, the county of San Bernardino’s deputy chief probation officer, “Providing this housing will help these individuals reintegrate into the community with the objective of reducing recidivism.”
In April 2011, Assembly Bill 109, the Public Safety Realignment Act, was signed into law.
AB 109 focused on parolees who have been classified as “low-level” offenders. The bill, among other things, created a provision for the adjudication of parole violations at the local level, rather than returning the offenders to the prison system. Essentially, the realignment displaces responsibility for the supervision of these offenders from the state to the local level. Parolees categorized as low risk offenders are titled “Post Release Community Supervision” or PRCS offenders, after their current offense is determined to be non-serious, non-violent, and non-sex related. Realignment dictates that they be released for supervision to the local county where they were originally sentenced. The legislation also requires that best practices be utilized for treatment and rehabilitation.
According to Ricketts, “The department went through the request for proposal (i.e., bidding) process to solicit proposals from qualified vendors to provide temporary/transitional housing for PRCS offenders. Six vendors submitted proposals. The review process narrowed the field to Time for Change, Family Assistance Program, and Foothill AIDS Project based on their demonstrated ability to provide the best service for the population at the most reasonable cost,” Ricketts said. “These three vendors represent the first group of providers that will deliver this service. The probation department is committed to providing temporary/transitional housing to offenders that demonstrate a need for housing assistance and to find additional vendors which can provide this service. The department is entering into these contracts to provide housing for the PRCS and other mandatory supervision adults. The term of these contracts is for three years, but may be terminated by the county upon thirty day’s written notice.”
Time for Change will be paid $246,000. Family Assistance Program will receive $300,000.  Foothill AIDS Project was given a not to exceed contract of $600,000.