Section 6240 Of Chapter 9.4. Substance Abuse Community Correctional Detention Centers From California Penal Code >> Title 7. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 9.4.
6240
. The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(a) The number of people in state prisons whose primary commitment
offense was for drug law violations represents approximately 24
percent of the inmate population. Based on a representative sample
study of new felon admissions during 1988, it is estimated that
approximately 76 percent of the new commitment admissions to prison
have a known history of drug abuse.
The number of parole violators returned to prison for drug
violations increased 2200 percent from 1980 to 1988. In fiscal year
1988-89, drug charges were a known contributing factor in over 64
percent of parolees returned to prison for parole violations.
(b) The relationship between public safety, recidivism, and
substance abuse is undeniable and significant.
(c) As pointed out by the California Blue Ribbon Commission on
Inmate Population Management in its January 1990 report, both state
and local correction systems are presently lacking sufficient
programs and strategies to intervene with substance abuse and other
behaviors that contribute to criminality. Judges and parole
authorities lack the options of community correctional facilities and
programs with substance abuse intervention and treatment when
managing parole violators, probationers, parolees, and nonviolent
offenders with a history of substance abuse.
(d) There presently does not exist a model for a state and local
center to house substance abusers, increase employability skills,
provide counseling and support, and make treatment programs available
to intervene and treat substance abuse, to reduce the crime problem
and the social costs which these offenders bring upon society,
themselves, and their families.
It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature to provide for the
establishment of substance abuse community correctional centers and
programs to be operated locally in order to implement
state-of-the-art rehabilitation programs commensurate with public
safety considerations.
It is further the intent of the Legislature to focus these efforts
in local communities in order to blend state and local efforts to
achieve a higher success rate and lower recidivism, and to reduce the
number of substance abusers and offenders who are currently being
sent to state prison.
It is also the intent of the Legislature that these programs and
housing facilities be built and operated in a manner providing
maximum safety to the public commensurate with the purpose of the
programming, and that the facilities be kept drug-free by whatever
legal means are required.
The facilities and the programs shall be designed and operated in
joint efforts by the state and counties, with primary funding from
the state for construction of the facilities.
It is the intent of the Legislature that funds disbursed pursuant
to this chapter be used to construct the maximum possible number of
community beds for this purpose commensurate with public safety
requirements.