Solving California's Corrections Crisis: Time is Running Out

Report #185, January 2007
Solving California's Corrections Crisis: Time is Running Out

Full Report

Executive Summary

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 25, 2007

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Commission Urges Immediate Action on Corrections Crisis

The Little Hoover Commission on Thursday urged reforms to California’s correctional system to improve public safety and prevent a costly takeover by the federal courts.

In its report, Solving California’s Corrections Crisis: Time is Running Out, the Commission said that California’s correctional system is failing in its primary mission to protect public safety. The Commission recommended that the Governor and Legislature take immediate action to solve the overcrowding crisis and improve management of the correctional population or turn the system over to an independent entity that will.

The Commission said that if policy-makers are unable or unwilling to act, they should appoint an entity – modeled after the federal Base Closure and Realignment Commission – whose recommendations would become law unless rejected by the Governor or a two-thirds vote of the Legislature.

“California should not cede its sovereignty in this critical public policy area to the federal courts,” Commission Chairman Michael E. Alpert said. “If the Governor and the Legislature cannot muster the political will to solve this crisis, they should appoint an independent entity that can and will.”

The correctional crisis has been decades in the making, but time is running out for the State to solve it. The severe overcrowding in prisons has led to court filings in three ongoing federal cases alleging violations of the constitutional rights of inmates. Lawyers for inmates have asked the courts to establish a panel of federal judges to manage the prison population. A federal judge has warned that California has until June 2007 to show signs of improvement or risk additional federal intervention.

The courts already oversee inmate mental health, disability act compliance, parolee due process rights and most aspects of the State’s juvenile justice system. A federal court has appointed a receiver over the inmate medical care system with unlimited authority to tap California tax coffers to make the system constitutional.

The Commission acknowledged that the Governor’s recent corrections proposals and reforms introduced by the Legislature are steps in the right direction. But it also cautioned that proposals have been made before only to fail upon implementation.

The Commission said that the problem does not need further study and that the solutions are known, thanks to nearly two decades of work by expert groups and the Commission itself. The Commission laid responsibility squarely in the hands of California’s Governor and Legislature to move beyond rhetoric and muster the political will to embrace and enact those solutions, including fixing the parole system, expanding prison educational, vocational and drug treatment programs and reallocating resources to community-based punishments for low-level offenders. A top priority, the Commission said, should be to resume control of the prison medical system.

The Commission also recommended that the State re -invent its parole system to focus on the most serious offenders and recommended eliminating post-release supervision for low-level offenders with no history of violence.

In 2003, the Commission declared California’s parole system a billion dollar failure because 70 percent of all released offenders are returned to prison within three years, many on technical violations. The Commission found that California was out of sync with the rest of the nation in its policies of placing virtually every offender on parole and then using the most expensive sanction – a return to prison – when parolees fail to comply with the terms of their parole.

In the report released today, the Commission also concluded that California lacks a coherent criminal justice sentencing policy and any accountability for the impact of sentencing laws on public safety and public resources.

In 1976, the California Legislature enacted the Determinate Sentencing Act. The law brought much-needed certainty and uniformity to sentencing, but also unintended public safety consequences, including prison overcrowding and mandatory release every year of thousands of ill-prepared and dangerous offenders into California communities.

The Commission concluded that years of “tough on crime” politics have warped the intent of determinate sentencing beyond recognition. The result is a haphazard jumble of sentencing laws enacted incrementally over three decades with no thought to their cumulative impact.

“These laws have not been tough on crime, but they have been tough on taxpayers,” Alpert said. “The reality is that each year thousands of hardened criminals are released without regard to the danger they present to an unsuspecting public. And the cost for this dangerous system will reach $10 billion this year.”

The Commission recommended that the State begin a comprehensive evaluation of its sentencing system by establishing an independent sentencing commission with the authority to develop sentencing guidelines that become law unless rejected by a majority vote of the Legislature. The Commission said California should learn from states with effective sentencing commissions, such as Virginia and North Carolina.

“Critics who suggest that a sentencing commission is a code word for shorter sentences are misinformed,” Alpert said. “Other states have used sentencing commissions to lengthen sentences for the most dangerous criminals, to expand community-based punishment for certain offenders and to bring fiscal responsibility to criminal justice policies.”

The Commission asserted that the Supreme Court ruling on January 22, 2007 that found California’s determinate sentencing law unconstitutional provides one more impetus for an independent commission to conduct a systematic review of California’s sentencing laws and propose long-term solutions.

The Little Hoover Commission is a bipartisan and independent state agency charged with recommending ways to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of state programs. The Commission’s recommendations are sent to the Governor and the Legislature. To obtain a copy of the report, Solving the Corrections Crisis: Time is Running Out, contact the Commission or visit its Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov/lhc.html.

Fact Sheet

Study Description

For this study, the Commission reviewed opportunities for sentencing reform in California within the broader context of the State's correctional policies. Previous work by the Commission on the State's prison and correctional policies provided the Commission with expertise and context for the analysis of sentencing policies; those studies are listed below. As part of this study, the Commission assessed the role of sentencing reform as an element of overall correctional system reform including parole and prison reforms, and how important a "holisitic" approach was to improvement. The review included an evaluation of the laws and processes that send an offender to prison, determine length of incarceration and determine the length and nature of parole. Also as part of this study, the Commission assessed correctional reform efforts since the July 2005 reorganization of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and reviewed ways to improve the management of the department. The goal of the Commission's study was to improve public safety and reduce the escalating costs of the State's prison system.

As part of this study, the Commission asked the Stanford Criminal Justice Center to analyze amendments to California's sentencing structure. The result of this effort is included in the Commission's report. The Stanford Criminal Justice Center has an ongoing Sentencing and Corrections Policy Project and in March 2007 published a report and recommendations based on The Stanford Executive Sessions on Sentencing and Corrections.  


Previous Studies

Agenda

Overview

In this report, the Commission urges policymakers to summon the political will to immediately implement reforms to California’s correctional system to improve public safety and prevent a costly takeover by the federal courts.

During its study, the Commission found that California’s correctional system is failing in its primary mission to protect public safety. California’s prisons are packed beyond capacity. Few offenders have the opportunity to participate in educational, vocational, drug treatment or mental health programs that could help them turn their lives around. California has one of the highest recidivism rates in the nation. The Commission found that for years, policy-makers and government officials have failed to do their jobs, and this failure has robbed the state of fiscal control of the correctional system and placed it in the hands of federal courts. Despite the rhetoric, 30 years of “tough on crime” politics has not made the state safer. Quite the opposite: today thousands of hardened, violent criminals are released without regard to the danger they present to an unsuspecting public. The Commission found that more than 1,000 different laws have been piled on over time with no consistent or informed evaluation of the laws for their effect on public safety or the state treasury. 

The Commission recommends for the Governor and the Legislature to take immediate action to solve the overcrowding crisis and improve management of the correctional population or turn the system over to an independent entity that will. To improve public safety and make the best use of correctional resources, the Commission recommends that the State immediately implements evidence-based policies to reduce overcrowding and hold offenders accountable for improving themselves. The Commission also recommends that California should establish a sentencing commission to guide the state’s criminal justice sentencing policies to enhance public safety.

Print Agenda
  • December 12
    2006
    Sentencing Reform
    10:30 a.m., Library and Courts Building II, Room 353, 900 N Street,
    Subcommittee Meeting
    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    November 28, 2006

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meeting

    The Sentencing Reform Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will meet Tuesday, December 12, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. in the Library and Courts Building II, at 900 N Street, Room 353, Sacramento. The subcommittee will discuss what it has learned from the Commission’s public hearings and meetings on sentencing and correctional reform in California.

    All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Tuesday, December 5, 2006.

  • November 16
    2006
    Sentencing Reform
    9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 437, Sacramento, CA
    Public Hearing
    Agenda

    AGENDA

    Public Hearing on Corrections Oversight - Management Structure 
    Thursday, November 16, 2006, at 9:00 a.m.
    State Capitol, Room 437 
    Sacramento, CA


    Opening Remarks

    Correctional System Management - Court Intervention

    1. Robert Sillen, Court-appointed receiver overseeing prison medical care (Plata v. Schwarzenegger)
       

    Correctional System Management - Litigation and Court Intervention

    1. Donald Specter, Director, Prison Law Office
       

    Correctional Organization Management

    1. Reginald Wilkinson, former director, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Chair, National Institute of Corrections Advisory Board (Written Testimony)
       

    Organizational Turnaround

    1. Dennis Simon, Managing Principal, XRoads Solutions Group, LLC (Written Testimony)

    Public Comments

    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    November 2, 2006

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meeting

    On Thursday, November 16, 2006, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on correctional system reform in California. The hearing will begin at
    9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.

    At this hearing, the Commission will hear from experts in organizational change and corrections management on ways to align the management structure of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation with goals of reform.

    Witnesses will include Robert Sillen, court-appointed receiver overseeing prison medical care in California; Donald Specter, director of the Prison Law Office; Reginald Wilkinson, former director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and chair of the National Institute of Corrections Advisory Board; and Dennis Simon, managing principal at the consulting firm XRoads Solutions Group, LLC.

    There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

    All notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, November 9, 2006. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site.

  • October 26
    2006
    Sentencing Reform
    9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 437, Sacramento, CA
    Public Hearing
    Agenda

    AGENDA

    Public Hearing on Correctional System and Sentencing Reform 
    Thursday, October 26, 2006, at 9:00 a.m.
    State Capitol, Room 437 
    Sacramento, CA


    Opening Remarks

    Correctional System Reform: Progress and Barriers to Progress

    1. James E. Tilton, Secretary, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (Written Testimony)
       

    Role of the Legislature in Correctional Reform

    1. Jackie Speier, Chair, Senate Select Committee on Government Cost Control (Written Testimony)
       
    2. Gloria Romero, Chair, Senate Select Committee on California Correctional System
       

    Correctional System Reform -- Obstacles and Opportunities

    1. Roderick Q. Hickman, public sector management consultant and former Secretary, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (Written Testimony)


    Local Perspectives on Correctional System Reform and Sentencing

    1. Sheriff Leroy D. Baca, County of Los Angeles (Written Testimony)
       
    2. James R. Milliken, Judge (Retired), San Diego Superior Court  (Milliken's Letter to Governor George Deukmejian and to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger)
       
    3. Kamala Harris, District Attorney, City and County of San Francisco (Written Testimony)
      ​​​​​​​

    Role of the Correctional Peace Officers Union in Correctional System Reform

    1. Mike Jimenez, President, California Correctional Peace Officers Association 
      ​​​​​​​

    Public Comments

    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    October 12, 2006

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meeting

    On Thursday, October 26, 2006, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on correctional system and sentencing reform in California. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.

    At this hearing, the Commission will assess efforts to improve the correctional system since the July 2005 reorganization of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), including obstacles to progress.

    Witnesses will include James E. Tilton, Secretary of CDCR; Roderick Q. Hickman, public sector management consultant and former Secretary of CDCR; California State Senators Jackie Speier and Gloria Romero; Leroy D. Baca, Los Angeles County Sheriff; James R. Milliken, retired judge of the San Diego Superior Court; Kamala Harris, San Francisco District Attorney; and, Mike Jimenez, President of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association.

    There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

    All notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, October 19, 2006. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site.

  • October 19
    2006
    Sentencing Reform
    1:30 - 4:30 p.m., Library and Courts Building II, Room 340, 900 N S
    Advisory Committee Meeting
    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    October 5, 2006

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meeting 

    The Sentencing Reform Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will hold its third advisory committee meeting with agency representatives, other experts and advocates on Thursday, October 19, 2006. The meeting is scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room 340 of the Library and Courts Building II, at 900 N Street, Sacramento.

    All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, October 12, 2006.

  • September 27
    2006
    Sentencing Reform
    1:30 - 4:30 p.m., Library and Courts Building II, Room 340, 900 N S
    Advisory Committee Meeting
    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    September 14, 2006

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meeting

    The Sentencing Reform Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will hold its second meeting with agency representatives, other experts and advocates on Wednesday, September 27, 2006. The meeting is scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room 340 of the Library and Courts Building II, at 900 N Street, Sacramento.

    All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Wednesday, September 20, 2006.

  • August 24
    2006
    Sentencing Reform
    9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 444, Sacramento, CA
    Public Hearing
    Agenda

    AGENDA

    Public Hearing on Sentencing Reform 
    Thursday, August 24, 2006, at 9:00 a.m. 
    State Capitol, Room 444 
    Sacramento, CA


    Opening Remarks

    Learning from Other States 

    1. Thomas W. Ross, Executive Director, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation; former Chair, North Carolina Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission; and, former Director, North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (Written Testimony)
       
    2. Robert M. A. Johnson, Anoka County Attorney, Minnesota (Written Testimony)
    1. Richard P. Kern, Director, Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission (Written Testimony) 
    1. Kara Dansky, Executive Director, Stanford Criminal Justice Center (Written Testimony) 

    Judicial Perspective 

    1. Steven Z. Perren, Judge, California Court of Appeal, Second District (Written Testimony)
       
    2. J. Richard Couzens, Judge, Placer County Superior Court (Written Testimony)
       

    Recommendations for Sentencing Reform in California

    1. Joseph A. Gunn, Executive Director, Independent Review Panel on Corrections (Written Testimony)

    Public Comments

    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    August 10, 2006

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meeting

    On Thursday, August 24, 2006, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on sentencing reform in California. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.

    This is the second hearing the Commission has scheduled to review California’s sentencing policies. This study will focus on sentencing policy as one element of correctional system reform. The first hearing provided a broad assessment of national efforts on sentencing reform; an overview of California’s existing sentencing system; and, perspectives on the strengths and weaknesses of the current system. At this second hearing, the Commission will hear from leaders in sentencing policy development and implementation from other states.

    Witnesses will include Thomas W. Ross, former chair of North Carolina’s Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission; Richard P. Kern, director of Virginia’s Criminal Sentencing Commission; and, Robert M. A. Johnson, attorney for Anoka County in Minnesota. Other witnesses include Judge Steven Perren from California Court of Appeal, Second District, and Placer County Superior Court Judge J. Richard Couzens. The Commission also will hear from Kara Dansky, executive director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center, and Joseph A. Gunn, executive director of the Governor’s 2004 Independent Review Panel on Corrections.

    There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

    All notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, August 17, 2006. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site.

  • August 23
    2006
    Sentencing Reform
    1:30 - 4:30 p.m., Library and Courts Building II, Room 340, 900 N S
    Advisory Committee Meeting
    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    August 10, 2006

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meeting

    The Sentencing Reform Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will hold a meeting with agency representatives, other experts and advocates on Wednesday, August 23, 2006. The meeting is scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room 340 of the Library and Courts Building II, at 900 N Street, Sacramento.

    All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Wednesday, August 16, 2006.

  • June 22
    2006
    Sentencing Reform
    9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 437, Sacramento, CA
    Public Hearing
    Agenda

    AGENDA

    Public Hearing on Sentencing Reform 
    Thursday, June 22, 2006, at 9:00 a.m. 
    State Capitol, Room 437 
    Sacramento, CA


    Opening Remarks

    The National Perspective – Sentencing Policy Reforms 

    1. Kevin R. Reitz, Professor of Law, University of Minnesota and Reporter, The American Law Institute, Model Penal Code Revision Project (Written Testimony)
    • Attachment 1: The American Law Institute Model Penal Code: Sentencing, 2003 Report 
    • Attachment 2: The American Law Institute Model Penal Code: Sentencing, 2006 Discussion Draft 
       
    1. Roger K. Warren, Scholar-in-Residence, Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts and Project Director, National Sentencing Reform Project, National Center for State Courts (Written Testimony)
       

    California Sentencing Reform – History, Challenges and Emerging Opportunities

    1. Joshua Weinstein, Senior Attorney, Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts, and staff to the Criminal Law Advisory Committee (Written Testimony)
       
    2. Les Kleinberg, Special Assistant Attorney General, Legislative Affairs, Office of the Attorney General 

    Victims Perspective on Sentencing Policy

    1. Sharon J. English, Crime Victim Rights and Services Advisor (Written Testimony)
      ​​​​​​​

    Panel – State Organization 

    1. Gregory D. Totten, Ventura County District Attorney and Member of the Board of Directors, California District Attorneys Association (Written Testimony)
       
    2. Mike Jimenez, President, California Correctional Peace Officers Association
      ​​​​​​​

    Public Comments

    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    June 8, 2006

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meeting

    On Thursday, June 22, 2006, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on sentencing reform in California. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.

    This is the first hearing the Commission has scheduled to review California’s sentencing policies. This hearing will provide a broad assessment of national efforts on sentencing policy reform, an overview of California’s existing sentencing system, and perspectives on the strengths and weaknesses of the system.

    Witnesses will include Kevin R. Reitz, a University of Minnesota law professor who is leading the revision of the sentencing portion of the American Law Institute’s Model Penal Code, and Roger K. Warren, a former Sacramento superior court judge who is leading an effort by the National Center for State Courts to promote reform of state sentencing policies and practices. Other witnesses include a victims’ rights advocate, a representative from the California District Attorneys Association and the president of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association.

    There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

    All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site, www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, June 15, 2006. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site, www.calchannel.com.

December 12
2006
Sentencing Reform
10:30 a.m., Library and Courts Building II, Room 353, 900 N Street, Sacramento, CA
Subcommittee Meeting
Public Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 28, 2006

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Notice of Meeting

The Sentencing Reform Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will meet Tuesday, December 12, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. in the Library and Courts Building II, at 900 N Street, Room 353, Sacramento. The subcommittee will discuss what it has learned from the Commission’s public hearings and meetings on sentencing and correctional reform in California.

All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Tuesday, December 5, 2006.

November 16
2006
Sentencing Reform
9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 437, Sacramento, CA
Public Hearing
Agenda

AGENDA

Public Hearing on Corrections Oversight - Management Structure 
Thursday, November 16, 2006, at 9:00 a.m.
State Capitol, Room 437 
Sacramento, CA


Opening Remarks

Correctional System Management - Court Intervention

  1. Robert Sillen, Court-appointed receiver overseeing prison medical care (Plata v. Schwarzenegger)
     

Correctional System Management - Litigation and Court Intervention

  1. Donald Specter, Director, Prison Law Office
     

Correctional Organization Management

  1. Reginald Wilkinson, former director, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Chair, National Institute of Corrections Advisory Board (Written Testimony)
     

Organizational Turnaround

  1. Dennis Simon, Managing Principal, XRoads Solutions Group, LLC (Written Testimony)

Public Comments

Public Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2, 2006

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Notice of Meeting

On Thursday, November 16, 2006, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on correctional system reform in California. The hearing will begin at
9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.

At this hearing, the Commission will hear from experts in organizational change and corrections management on ways to align the management structure of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation with goals of reform.

Witnesses will include Robert Sillen, court-appointed receiver overseeing prison medical care in California; Donald Specter, director of the Prison Law Office; Reginald Wilkinson, former director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and chair of the National Institute of Corrections Advisory Board; and Dennis Simon, managing principal at the consulting firm XRoads Solutions Group, LLC.

There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

All notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, November 9, 2006. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site.

October 26
2006
Sentencing Reform
9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 437, Sacramento, CA
Public Hearing
Agenda

AGENDA

Public Hearing on Correctional System and Sentencing Reform 
Thursday, October 26, 2006, at 9:00 a.m.
State Capitol, Room 437 
Sacramento, CA


Opening Remarks

Correctional System Reform: Progress and Barriers to Progress

  1. James E. Tilton, Secretary, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (Written Testimony)
     

Role of the Legislature in Correctional Reform

  1. Jackie Speier, Chair, Senate Select Committee on Government Cost Control (Written Testimony)
     
  2. Gloria Romero, Chair, Senate Select Committee on California Correctional System
     

Correctional System Reform -- Obstacles and Opportunities

  1. Roderick Q. Hickman, public sector management consultant and former Secretary, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (Written Testimony)


Local Perspectives on Correctional System Reform and Sentencing

  1. Sheriff Leroy D. Baca, County of Los Angeles (Written Testimony)
     
  2. James R. Milliken, Judge (Retired), San Diego Superior Court  (Milliken's Letter to Governor George Deukmejian and to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger)
     
  3. Kamala Harris, District Attorney, City and County of San Francisco (Written Testimony)
    ​​​​​​​

Role of the Correctional Peace Officers Union in Correctional System Reform

  1. Mike Jimenez, President, California Correctional Peace Officers Association 
    ​​​​​​​

Public Comments

Public Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 2006

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Notice of Meeting

On Thursday, October 26, 2006, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on correctional system and sentencing reform in California. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.

At this hearing, the Commission will assess efforts to improve the correctional system since the July 2005 reorganization of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), including obstacles to progress.

Witnesses will include James E. Tilton, Secretary of CDCR; Roderick Q. Hickman, public sector management consultant and former Secretary of CDCR; California State Senators Jackie Speier and Gloria Romero; Leroy D. Baca, Los Angeles County Sheriff; James R. Milliken, retired judge of the San Diego Superior Court; Kamala Harris, San Francisco District Attorney; and, Mike Jimenez, President of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association.

There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

All notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, October 19, 2006. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site.

October 19
2006
Sentencing Reform
1:30 - 4:30 p.m., Library and Courts Building II, Room 340, 900 N Street, Sacramento, CA
Advisory Committee Meeting
Public Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2006

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Notice of Meeting 

The Sentencing Reform Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will hold its third advisory committee meeting with agency representatives, other experts and advocates on Thursday, October 19, 2006. The meeting is scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room 340 of the Library and Courts Building II, at 900 N Street, Sacramento.

All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, October 12, 2006.

September 27
2006
Sentencing Reform
1:30 - 4:30 p.m., Library and Courts Building II, Room 340, 900 N Street, Sacramento, CA
Advisory Committee Meeting
Public Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2006

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Notice of Meeting

The Sentencing Reform Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will hold its second meeting with agency representatives, other experts and advocates on Wednesday, September 27, 2006. The meeting is scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room 340 of the Library and Courts Building II, at 900 N Street, Sacramento.

All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Wednesday, September 20, 2006.

August 24
2006
Sentencing Reform
9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 444, Sacramento, CA
Public Hearing
Agenda

AGENDA

Public Hearing on Sentencing Reform 
Thursday, August 24, 2006, at 9:00 a.m. 
State Capitol, Room 444 
Sacramento, CA


Opening Remarks

Learning from Other States 

  1. Thomas W. Ross, Executive Director, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation; former Chair, North Carolina Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission; and, former Director, North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (Written Testimony)
     
  2. Robert M. A. Johnson, Anoka County Attorney, Minnesota (Written Testimony)
  1. Richard P. Kern, Director, Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission (Written Testimony) 
  1. Kara Dansky, Executive Director, Stanford Criminal Justice Center (Written Testimony) 

Judicial Perspective 

  1. Steven Z. Perren, Judge, California Court of Appeal, Second District (Written Testimony)
     
  2. J. Richard Couzens, Judge, Placer County Superior Court (Written Testimony)
     

Recommendations for Sentencing Reform in California

  1. Joseph A. Gunn, Executive Director, Independent Review Panel on Corrections (Written Testimony)

Public Comments

Public Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2006

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Notice of Meeting

On Thursday, August 24, 2006, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on sentencing reform in California. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.

This is the second hearing the Commission has scheduled to review California’s sentencing policies. This study will focus on sentencing policy as one element of correctional system reform. The first hearing provided a broad assessment of national efforts on sentencing reform; an overview of California’s existing sentencing system; and, perspectives on the strengths and weaknesses of the current system. At this second hearing, the Commission will hear from leaders in sentencing policy development and implementation from other states.

Witnesses will include Thomas W. Ross, former chair of North Carolina’s Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission; Richard P. Kern, director of Virginia’s Criminal Sentencing Commission; and, Robert M. A. Johnson, attorney for Anoka County in Minnesota. Other witnesses include Judge Steven Perren from California Court of Appeal, Second District, and Placer County Superior Court Judge J. Richard Couzens. The Commission also will hear from Kara Dansky, executive director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center, and Joseph A. Gunn, executive director of the Governor’s 2004 Independent Review Panel on Corrections.

There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

All notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, August 17, 2006. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site.

August 23
2006
Sentencing Reform
1:30 - 4:30 p.m., Library and Courts Building II, Room 340, 900 N Street, Sacramento, CA
Advisory Committee Meeting
Public Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2006

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Notice of Meeting

The Sentencing Reform Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will hold a meeting with agency representatives, other experts and advocates on Wednesday, August 23, 2006. The meeting is scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room 340 of the Library and Courts Building II, at 900 N Street, Sacramento.

All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Wednesday, August 16, 2006.

June 22
2006
Sentencing Reform
9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 437, Sacramento, CA
Public Hearing
Agenda

AGENDA

Public Hearing on Sentencing Reform 
Thursday, June 22, 2006, at 9:00 a.m. 
State Capitol, Room 437 
Sacramento, CA


Opening Remarks

The National Perspective – Sentencing Policy Reforms 

  1. Kevin R. Reitz, Professor of Law, University of Minnesota and Reporter, The American Law Institute, Model Penal Code Revision Project (Written Testimony)
  • Attachment 1: The American Law Institute Model Penal Code: Sentencing, 2003 Report 
  • Attachment 2: The American Law Institute Model Penal Code: Sentencing, 2006 Discussion Draft 
     
  1. Roger K. Warren, Scholar-in-Residence, Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts and Project Director, National Sentencing Reform Project, National Center for State Courts (Written Testimony)
     

California Sentencing Reform – History, Challenges and Emerging Opportunities

  1. Joshua Weinstein, Senior Attorney, Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts, and staff to the Criminal Law Advisory Committee (Written Testimony)
     
  2. Les Kleinberg, Special Assistant Attorney General, Legislative Affairs, Office of the Attorney General 

Victims Perspective on Sentencing Policy

  1. Sharon J. English, Crime Victim Rights and Services Advisor (Written Testimony)
    ​​​​​​​

Panel – State Organization 

  1. Gregory D. Totten, Ventura County District Attorney and Member of the Board of Directors, California District Attorneys Association (Written Testimony)
     
  2. Mike Jimenez, President, California Correctional Peace Officers Association
    ​​​​​​​

Public Comments

Public Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2006

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Notice of Meeting

On Thursday, June 22, 2006, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on sentencing reform in California. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.

This is the first hearing the Commission has scheduled to review California’s sentencing policies. This hearing will provide a broad assessment of national efforts on sentencing policy reform, an overview of California’s existing sentencing system, and perspectives on the strengths and weaknesses of the system.

Witnesses will include Kevin R. Reitz, a University of Minnesota law professor who is leading the revision of the sentencing portion of the American Law Institute’s Model Penal Code, and Roger K. Warren, a former Sacramento superior court judge who is leading an effort by the National Center for State Courts to promote reform of state sentencing policies and practices. Other witnesses include a victims’ rights advocate, a representative from the California District Attorneys Association and the president of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association.

There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site, www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, June 15, 2006. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site, www.calchannel.com.

Print Agenda
  • December 12
    2006
    Sentencing Reform
    10:30 a.m., Library and Courts Building II, Room 353, 900 N Street,
    Subcommittee Meeting
    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    November 28, 2006

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meeting

    The Sentencing Reform Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will meet Tuesday, December 12, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. in the Library and Courts Building II, at 900 N Street, Room 353, Sacramento. The subcommittee will discuss what it has learned from the Commission’s public hearings and meetings on sentencing and correctional reform in California.

    All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Tuesday, December 5, 2006.

  • November 16
    2006
    Sentencing Reform
    9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 437, Sacramento, CA
    Public Hearing
    Agenda

    AGENDA

    Public Hearing on Corrections Oversight - Management Structure 
    Thursday, November 16, 2006, at 9:00 a.m.
    State Capitol, Room 437 
    Sacramento, CA


    Opening Remarks

    Correctional System Management - Court Intervention

    1. Robert Sillen, Court-appointed receiver overseeing prison medical care (Plata v. Schwarzenegger)
       

    Correctional System Management - Litigation and Court Intervention

    1. Donald Specter, Director, Prison Law Office
       

    Correctional Organization Management

    1. Reginald Wilkinson, former director, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Chair, National Institute of Corrections Advisory Board (Written Testimony)
       

    Organizational Turnaround

    1. Dennis Simon, Managing Principal, XRoads Solutions Group, LLC (Written Testimony)

    Public Comments

    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    November 2, 2006

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meeting

    On Thursday, November 16, 2006, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on correctional system reform in California. The hearing will begin at
    9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.

    At this hearing, the Commission will hear from experts in organizational change and corrections management on ways to align the management structure of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation with goals of reform.

    Witnesses will include Robert Sillen, court-appointed receiver overseeing prison medical care in California; Donald Specter, director of the Prison Law Office; Reginald Wilkinson, former director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and chair of the National Institute of Corrections Advisory Board; and Dennis Simon, managing principal at the consulting firm XRoads Solutions Group, LLC.

    There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

    All notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, November 9, 2006. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site.

  • October 26
    2006
    Sentencing Reform
    9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 437, Sacramento, CA
    Public Hearing
    Agenda

    AGENDA

    Public Hearing on Correctional System and Sentencing Reform 
    Thursday, October 26, 2006, at 9:00 a.m.
    State Capitol, Room 437 
    Sacramento, CA


    Opening Remarks

    Correctional System Reform: Progress and Barriers to Progress

    1. James E. Tilton, Secretary, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (Written Testimony)
       

    Role of the Legislature in Correctional Reform

    1. Jackie Speier, Chair, Senate Select Committee on Government Cost Control (Written Testimony)
       
    2. Gloria Romero, Chair, Senate Select Committee on California Correctional System
       

    Correctional System Reform -- Obstacles and Opportunities

    1. Roderick Q. Hickman, public sector management consultant and former Secretary, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (Written Testimony)


    Local Perspectives on Correctional System Reform and Sentencing

    1. Sheriff Leroy D. Baca, County of Los Angeles (Written Testimony)
       
    2. James R. Milliken, Judge (Retired), San Diego Superior Court  (Milliken's Letter to Governor George Deukmejian and to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger)
       
    3. Kamala Harris, District Attorney, City and County of San Francisco (Written Testimony)
      ​​​​​​​

    Role of the Correctional Peace Officers Union in Correctional System Reform

    1. Mike Jimenez, President, California Correctional Peace Officers Association 
      ​​​​​​​

    Public Comments

    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    October 12, 2006

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meeting

    On Thursday, October 26, 2006, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on correctional system and sentencing reform in California. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.

    At this hearing, the Commission will assess efforts to improve the correctional system since the July 2005 reorganization of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), including obstacles to progress.

    Witnesses will include James E. Tilton, Secretary of CDCR; Roderick Q. Hickman, public sector management consultant and former Secretary of CDCR; California State Senators Jackie Speier and Gloria Romero; Leroy D. Baca, Los Angeles County Sheriff; James R. Milliken, retired judge of the San Diego Superior Court; Kamala Harris, San Francisco District Attorney; and, Mike Jimenez, President of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association.

    There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

    All notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, October 19, 2006. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site.

  • October 19
    2006
    Sentencing Reform
    1:30 - 4:30 p.m., Library and Courts Building II, Room 340, 900 N S
    Advisory Committee Meeting
    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    October 5, 2006

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meeting 

    The Sentencing Reform Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will hold its third advisory committee meeting with agency representatives, other experts and advocates on Thursday, October 19, 2006. The meeting is scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room 340 of the Library and Courts Building II, at 900 N Street, Sacramento.

    All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, October 12, 2006.

  • September 27
    2006
    Sentencing Reform
    1:30 - 4:30 p.m., Library and Courts Building II, Room 340, 900 N S
    Advisory Committee Meeting
    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    September 14, 2006

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meeting

    The Sentencing Reform Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will hold its second meeting with agency representatives, other experts and advocates on Wednesday, September 27, 2006. The meeting is scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room 340 of the Library and Courts Building II, at 900 N Street, Sacramento.

    All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Wednesday, September 20, 2006.

  • August 24
    2006
    Sentencing Reform
    9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 444, Sacramento, CA
    Public Hearing
    Agenda

    AGENDA

    Public Hearing on Sentencing Reform 
    Thursday, August 24, 2006, at 9:00 a.m. 
    State Capitol, Room 444 
    Sacramento, CA


    Opening Remarks

    Learning from Other States 

    1. Thomas W. Ross, Executive Director, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation; former Chair, North Carolina Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission; and, former Director, North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (Written Testimony)
       
    2. Robert M. A. Johnson, Anoka County Attorney, Minnesota (Written Testimony)
    1. Richard P. Kern, Director, Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission (Written Testimony) 
    1. Kara Dansky, Executive Director, Stanford Criminal Justice Center (Written Testimony) 

    Judicial Perspective 

    1. Steven Z. Perren, Judge, California Court of Appeal, Second District (Written Testimony)
       
    2. J. Richard Couzens, Judge, Placer County Superior Court (Written Testimony)
       

    Recommendations for Sentencing Reform in California

    1. Joseph A. Gunn, Executive Director, Independent Review Panel on Corrections (Written Testimony)

    Public Comments

    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    August 10, 2006

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meeting

    On Thursday, August 24, 2006, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on sentencing reform in California. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.

    This is the second hearing the Commission has scheduled to review California’s sentencing policies. This study will focus on sentencing policy as one element of correctional system reform. The first hearing provided a broad assessment of national efforts on sentencing reform; an overview of California’s existing sentencing system; and, perspectives on the strengths and weaknesses of the current system. At this second hearing, the Commission will hear from leaders in sentencing policy development and implementation from other states.

    Witnesses will include Thomas W. Ross, former chair of North Carolina’s Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission; Richard P. Kern, director of Virginia’s Criminal Sentencing Commission; and, Robert M. A. Johnson, attorney for Anoka County in Minnesota. Other witnesses include Judge Steven Perren from California Court of Appeal, Second District, and Placer County Superior Court Judge J. Richard Couzens. The Commission also will hear from Kara Dansky, executive director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center, and Joseph A. Gunn, executive director of the Governor’s 2004 Independent Review Panel on Corrections.

    There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

    All notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, August 17, 2006. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site.

  • August 23
    2006
    Sentencing Reform
    1:30 - 4:30 p.m., Library and Courts Building II, Room 340, 900 N S
    Advisory Committee Meeting
    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    August 10, 2006

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meeting

    The Sentencing Reform Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will hold a meeting with agency representatives, other experts and advocates on Wednesday, August 23, 2006. The meeting is scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room 340 of the Library and Courts Building II, at 900 N Street, Sacramento.

    All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Wednesday, August 16, 2006.

  • June 22
    2006
    Sentencing Reform
    9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 437, Sacramento, CA
    Public Hearing
    Agenda

    AGENDA

    Public Hearing on Sentencing Reform 
    Thursday, June 22, 2006, at 9:00 a.m. 
    State Capitol, Room 437 
    Sacramento, CA


    Opening Remarks

    The National Perspective – Sentencing Policy Reforms 

    1. Kevin R. Reitz, Professor of Law, University of Minnesota and Reporter, The American Law Institute, Model Penal Code Revision Project (Written Testimony)
    • Attachment 1: The American Law Institute Model Penal Code: Sentencing, 2003 Report 
    • Attachment 2: The American Law Institute Model Penal Code: Sentencing, 2006 Discussion Draft 
       
    1. Roger K. Warren, Scholar-in-Residence, Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts and Project Director, National Sentencing Reform Project, National Center for State Courts (Written Testimony)
       

    California Sentencing Reform – History, Challenges and Emerging Opportunities

    1. Joshua Weinstein, Senior Attorney, Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts, and staff to the Criminal Law Advisory Committee (Written Testimony)
       
    2. Les Kleinberg, Special Assistant Attorney General, Legislative Affairs, Office of the Attorney General 

    Victims Perspective on Sentencing Policy

    1. Sharon J. English, Crime Victim Rights and Services Advisor (Written Testimony)
      ​​​​​​​

    Panel – State Organization 

    1. Gregory D. Totten, Ventura County District Attorney and Member of the Board of Directors, California District Attorneys Association (Written Testimony)
       
    2. Mike Jimenez, President, California Correctional Peace Officers Association
      ​​​​​​​

    Public Comments

    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    June 8, 2006

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meeting

    On Thursday, June 22, 2006, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on sentencing reform in California. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.

    This is the first hearing the Commission has scheduled to review California’s sentencing policies. This hearing will provide a broad assessment of national efforts on sentencing policy reform, an overview of California’s existing sentencing system, and perspectives on the strengths and weaknesses of the system.

    Witnesses will include Kevin R. Reitz, a University of Minnesota law professor who is leading the revision of the sentencing portion of the American Law Institute’s Model Penal Code, and Roger K. Warren, a former Sacramento superior court judge who is leading an effort by the National Center for State Courts to promote reform of state sentencing policies and practices. Other witnesses include a victims’ rights advocate, a representative from the California District Attorneys Association and the president of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association.

    There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

    All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site, www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, June 15, 2006. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site, www.calchannel.com.

December 12
2006
Sentencing Reform
10:30 a.m., Library and Courts Building II, Room 353, 900 N Street, Sacramento, CA
Subcommittee Meeting
Public Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 28, 2006

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Notice of Meeting

The Sentencing Reform Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will meet Tuesday, December 12, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. in the Library and Courts Building II, at 900 N Street, Room 353, Sacramento. The subcommittee will discuss what it has learned from the Commission’s public hearings and meetings on sentencing and correctional reform in California.

All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Tuesday, December 5, 2006.

November 16
2006
Sentencing Reform
9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 437, Sacramento, CA
Public Hearing
Agenda

AGENDA

Public Hearing on Corrections Oversight - Management Structure 
Thursday, November 16, 2006, at 9:00 a.m.
State Capitol, Room 437 
Sacramento, CA


Opening Remarks

Correctional System Management - Court Intervention

  1. Robert Sillen, Court-appointed receiver overseeing prison medical care (Plata v. Schwarzenegger)
     

Correctional System Management - Litigation and Court Intervention

  1. Donald Specter, Director, Prison Law Office
     

Correctional Organization Management

  1. Reginald Wilkinson, former director, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Chair, National Institute of Corrections Advisory Board (Written Testimony)
     

Organizational Turnaround

  1. Dennis Simon, Managing Principal, XRoads Solutions Group, LLC (Written Testimony)

Public Comments

Public Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2, 2006

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Notice of Meeting

On Thursday, November 16, 2006, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on correctional system reform in California. The hearing will begin at
9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.

At this hearing, the Commission will hear from experts in organizational change and corrections management on ways to align the management structure of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation with goals of reform.

Witnesses will include Robert Sillen, court-appointed receiver overseeing prison medical care in California; Donald Specter, director of the Prison Law Office; Reginald Wilkinson, former director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and chair of the National Institute of Corrections Advisory Board; and Dennis Simon, managing principal at the consulting firm XRoads Solutions Group, LLC.

There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

All notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, November 9, 2006. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site.

October 26
2006
Sentencing Reform
9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 437, Sacramento, CA
Public Hearing
Agenda

AGENDA

Public Hearing on Correctional System and Sentencing Reform 
Thursday, October 26, 2006, at 9:00 a.m.
State Capitol, Room 437 
Sacramento, CA


Opening Remarks

Correctional System Reform: Progress and Barriers to Progress

  1. James E. Tilton, Secretary, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (Written Testimony)
     

Role of the Legislature in Correctional Reform

  1. Jackie Speier, Chair, Senate Select Committee on Government Cost Control (Written Testimony)
     
  2. Gloria Romero, Chair, Senate Select Committee on California Correctional System
     

Correctional System Reform -- Obstacles and Opportunities

  1. Roderick Q. Hickman, public sector management consultant and former Secretary, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (Written Testimony)


Local Perspectives on Correctional System Reform and Sentencing

  1. Sheriff Leroy D. Baca, County of Los Angeles (Written Testimony)
     
  2. James R. Milliken, Judge (Retired), San Diego Superior Court  (Milliken's Letter to Governor George Deukmejian and to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger)
     
  3. Kamala Harris, District Attorney, City and County of San Francisco (Written Testimony)
    ​​​​​​​

Role of the Correctional Peace Officers Union in Correctional System Reform

  1. Mike Jimenez, President, California Correctional Peace Officers Association 
    ​​​​​​​

Public Comments

Public Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 2006

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Notice of Meeting

On Thursday, October 26, 2006, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on correctional system and sentencing reform in California. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.

At this hearing, the Commission will assess efforts to improve the correctional system since the July 2005 reorganization of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), including obstacles to progress.

Witnesses will include James E. Tilton, Secretary of CDCR; Roderick Q. Hickman, public sector management consultant and former Secretary of CDCR; California State Senators Jackie Speier and Gloria Romero; Leroy D. Baca, Los Angeles County Sheriff; James R. Milliken, retired judge of the San Diego Superior Court; Kamala Harris, San Francisco District Attorney; and, Mike Jimenez, President of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association.

There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

All notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, October 19, 2006. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site.

October 19
2006
Sentencing Reform
1:30 - 4:30 p.m., Library and Courts Building II, Room 340, 900 N Street, Sacramento, CA
Advisory Committee Meeting
Public Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2006

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Notice of Meeting 

The Sentencing Reform Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will hold its third advisory committee meeting with agency representatives, other experts and advocates on Thursday, October 19, 2006. The meeting is scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room 340 of the Library and Courts Building II, at 900 N Street, Sacramento.

All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, October 12, 2006.

September 27
2006
Sentencing Reform
1:30 - 4:30 p.m., Library and Courts Building II, Room 340, 900 N Street, Sacramento, CA
Advisory Committee Meeting
Public Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2006

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Notice of Meeting

The Sentencing Reform Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will hold its second meeting with agency representatives, other experts and advocates on Wednesday, September 27, 2006. The meeting is scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room 340 of the Library and Courts Building II, at 900 N Street, Sacramento.

All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Wednesday, September 20, 2006.

August 24
2006
Sentencing Reform
9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 444, Sacramento, CA
Public Hearing
Agenda

AGENDA

Public Hearing on Sentencing Reform 
Thursday, August 24, 2006, at 9:00 a.m. 
State Capitol, Room 444 
Sacramento, CA


Opening Remarks

Learning from Other States 

  1. Thomas W. Ross, Executive Director, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation; former Chair, North Carolina Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission; and, former Director, North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (Written Testimony)
     
  2. Robert M. A. Johnson, Anoka County Attorney, Minnesota (Written Testimony)
  1. Richard P. Kern, Director, Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission (Written Testimony) 
  1. Kara Dansky, Executive Director, Stanford Criminal Justice Center (Written Testimony) 

Judicial Perspective 

  1. Steven Z. Perren, Judge, California Court of Appeal, Second District (Written Testimony)
     
  2. J. Richard Couzens, Judge, Placer County Superior Court (Written Testimony)
     

Recommendations for Sentencing Reform in California

  1. Joseph A. Gunn, Executive Director, Independent Review Panel on Corrections (Written Testimony)

Public Comments

Public Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2006

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Notice of Meeting

On Thursday, August 24, 2006, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on sentencing reform in California. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.

This is the second hearing the Commission has scheduled to review California’s sentencing policies. This study will focus on sentencing policy as one element of correctional system reform. The first hearing provided a broad assessment of national efforts on sentencing reform; an overview of California’s existing sentencing system; and, perspectives on the strengths and weaknesses of the current system. At this second hearing, the Commission will hear from leaders in sentencing policy development and implementation from other states.

Witnesses will include Thomas W. Ross, former chair of North Carolina’s Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission; Richard P. Kern, director of Virginia’s Criminal Sentencing Commission; and, Robert M. A. Johnson, attorney for Anoka County in Minnesota. Other witnesses include Judge Steven Perren from California Court of Appeal, Second District, and Placer County Superior Court Judge J. Richard Couzens. The Commission also will hear from Kara Dansky, executive director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center, and Joseph A. Gunn, executive director of the Governor’s 2004 Independent Review Panel on Corrections.

There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

All notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, August 17, 2006. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site.

August 23
2006
Sentencing Reform
1:30 - 4:30 p.m., Library and Courts Building II, Room 340, 900 N Street, Sacramento, CA
Advisory Committee Meeting
Public Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2006

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Notice of Meeting

The Sentencing Reform Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will hold a meeting with agency representatives, other experts and advocates on Wednesday, August 23, 2006. The meeting is scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room 340 of the Library and Courts Building II, at 900 N Street, Sacramento.

All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Wednesday, August 16, 2006.

June 22
2006
Sentencing Reform
9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 437, Sacramento, CA
Public Hearing
Agenda

AGENDA

Public Hearing on Sentencing Reform 
Thursday, June 22, 2006, at 9:00 a.m. 
State Capitol, Room 437 
Sacramento, CA


Opening Remarks

The National Perspective – Sentencing Policy Reforms 

  1. Kevin R. Reitz, Professor of Law, University of Minnesota and Reporter, The American Law Institute, Model Penal Code Revision Project (Written Testimony)
  • Attachment 1: The American Law Institute Model Penal Code: Sentencing, 2003 Report 
  • Attachment 2: The American Law Institute Model Penal Code: Sentencing, 2006 Discussion Draft 
     
  1. Roger K. Warren, Scholar-in-Residence, Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts and Project Director, National Sentencing Reform Project, National Center for State Courts (Written Testimony)
     

California Sentencing Reform – History, Challenges and Emerging Opportunities

  1. Joshua Weinstein, Senior Attorney, Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts, and staff to the Criminal Law Advisory Committee (Written Testimony)
     
  2. Les Kleinberg, Special Assistant Attorney General, Legislative Affairs, Office of the Attorney General 

Victims Perspective on Sentencing Policy

  1. Sharon J. English, Crime Victim Rights and Services Advisor (Written Testimony)
    ​​​​​​​

Panel – State Organization 

  1. Gregory D. Totten, Ventura County District Attorney and Member of the Board of Directors, California District Attorneys Association (Written Testimony)
     
  2. Mike Jimenez, President, California Correctional Peace Officers Association
    ​​​​​​​

Public Comments

Public Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2006

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Notice of Meeting

On Thursday, June 22, 2006, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on sentencing reform in California. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.

This is the first hearing the Commission has scheduled to review California’s sentencing policies. This hearing will provide a broad assessment of national efforts on sentencing policy reform, an overview of California’s existing sentencing system, and perspectives on the strengths and weaknesses of the system.

Witnesses will include Kevin R. Reitz, a University of Minnesota law professor who is leading the revision of the sentencing portion of the American Law Institute’s Model Penal Code, and Roger K. Warren, a former Sacramento superior court judge who is leading an effort by the National Center for State Courts to promote reform of state sentencing policies and practices. Other witnesses include a victims’ rights advocate, a representative from the California District Attorneys Association and the president of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association.

There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site, www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, June 15, 2006. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site, www.calchannel.com.