LA County Launches Effort To Reduce Number Of Inmates Returning To Prison
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Law enforcement officials said Wednesday they're focused on reducing the number of inmates in Los Angeles County who return to prison.
L.A. County Sheriff Jim McDonnell and California Attorney General Kamala Harris visited the Pitchess Detention Facility in Castaic to announce the launch of "Back on Track LA," an innovative recidivism reduction pilot program.
The effort, which partners the LASD, county probation and child support services with local community colleges and private foundations, is part of a campaign launched by Harris in 2013 to develop a statewide definition of recidivism and help boost funding for the creation and expansion of innovative anti-recidivism programs.
McDonnell told KNX 1070's Ed Mertz one strategy is to use hospitals as a model to work with inmates.
"Rather than just look at it as warehousing people, rather try to get 'em back on track, give 'em some kind of skill while they're in custody, so when they get back out, they have a better chance of not re-offending than they otherwise would," said McDonnell.
The Attorney General's office launched a similar effort in 2013 under then-Sheriff Lee Baca.
