California: in 1980, ~ 220 people incarcerated / 100,000. In 2010, ~731 people incarcerated/100,000 U.S. has highest incarceration rate in the world: - England and Wales: 154 inmates per 100,000 - Iraq and Iran: 133 inmates per 100,000 - Canada : 116 inmates per 100,000 - Japan: 63 inmates per 100,000 http://www.inmatecountyjail.com

1. January 27, 2012
Julie Lifshay, MPH PhD
Centerforce
CenterforceCenterforce
Information, Education and Advocacy for
individuals, families and communities impacted by
incarceration

2. *Reference: New Yorker, Jan 30, 2012, "The Caging of America," Gopnik
Incarceration in the U.S.
 U.S. focuses on a “fair” process, not for a
“just” outcome*
 Impersonality
 Revenge
 Increase in violent crime rates in the 70’s and
early ‘80s
 U.S. decided to “get tough on crime”
 Mandatory Minimum sentences
 Enhancements
 Longer terms

3. *Reference: Bureau of Justice and Statistics (http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/glance/inc
United States*

4. *Reference: Bureau of Justice and Statistics (http://www.bjs.gov/content/glance/tables
Results*?

5. *2008 Pew report http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/report_detail.aspx?id=35904
Results
 More than 1 in 100 adults are in jail or prison*
 1 in 31 adults behind bars , or on parole or
probation**
 in 1980, ~ 220 people incarcerated / 100,000***
 In 2010, ~731 people incarcerated/100,000***
 U.S. has highest incarceration rate in the world****:
 England and Wales: 154 per 100,000
 Iraq and Iran: 133 per 100,000
 Canada : 116 per 100,000
 Japan: 63 per 100,000

6. *Data from: http://www.nccd-crc.org/nccd/pubs/2006nov_factsheet_incarceration.pdf
We are #1*

7. *Data from: http://www.nccd-crc.org/nccd/pubs/2006nov_factsheet_incarceration.pdf
Results
 The incarceration rate in the U.S. is 4X the
world average
 The US has less than 5% of the world’s
population but 23% of the people
incarcerated in the world
 The US imprisons the most women in the
world

8. *Reference: New Yorker, Jan 30, 2012, "The Caging of America," Gopnik
Results*
 $ states spend on prisons has grown at 6 X
the rate of spending on higher education
 More than 50% of AA men without HS
diploma go to prison*
 AA men incarcerated at a rate 6 ½ X that of
white men
 More black men in the grip of the criminal-
justice system—in prison, on probation, or on
parole—than were enslaved in 1850.

9. *From 2005 Sentencing Project report Incarceration and Crime Rates, Complex
Reasons for drop in Crime
Not (only) incarceration: no consistent relationship
1991-1998*:
 Texas: 144% increase in incarceration
 Decrease in crime 35%
 California: 52% increase in incarceration
 Decrease in crime: 36%
 New York: 24% increase in incarceration
 Decrease in crime: 43%

10. *From 2005 Sentencing Project report Incarceration and Crime Rates, Complex
Changes in Incarceration and
Crime Rates for states, 1991-
1998*
Above Average
Increase in Incarceration: 72%
Decrease in Crime Rates: 13%
Below Average
Increase in Incarceration: 30%
Decrease in Crime Rates: 17%

11. Zimring, The City That Became Safe, 2010
Reasons for drop in Crime
Zimring*
 “hot spot” policing
 “stop and frisk” policies
 A decrease in the prevalence in crime fuels a
further decrease in the prevalence of crime.
 it is situational
  what matters is the “culture of crime”

12. Incarceration in CA
 Tougher sentencing laws
 3 Strikes Law 1994
 Other “tough on crime” laws
 Enhancements
 Indeterminate sentences
 Determinate sentences of exorbitant amounts of time
 CA “Lifer” population
 20% of CA prisoners are serving a “life” sentence
 34,164 (2009) = 3X the number in 1992
 Parole Grant Rates:
 2000 to 2007 around 8%; 2010 about 18%
 In 2010, 80% of those were rejected by the Governor
 Recidivism rate of lifers is “miniscule”

13. *http://ag.ca.gov/cjsc/keyfacts.php
California New Admission Rates*

14. *http://ag.ca.gov/cjsc/keyfacts.php
CA Criminal Justice Expenditures*

15. *http://ag.ca.gov/cjsc/keyfacts.php
Results*?

16. *http://motherjones.com/slideshows/2011/05/california-prison-overcrowding-photos/in
Results*

17. *Matthew Cate, Secretary of CDCR, http://motherjones.com/slideshows/2011/05/califo
Incarceration in CA*
“If you ask any prosecutor in California,
they’ll tell you that sentencing laws in
California are a byzantine, complex,
difficult-to-decipher, and not always
consistent patchwork. They have to be
[changed] so that people we should really
be afraid of serve longer terms, and that
people we’re just mad at do shorter
terms.”

18. *From: http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2012/01/30/120130crat_atlarge_
Challenges Faced by People Inside
 Disconnection from loved ones
 In some cases, alienation from loved ones
 Educational levels
 Past Experiences of violence
 Emotional growth
 Drug Addiction
 Prison culture
 Loss of Hope
 Loss of Motivation
 Job skills and opportunities
 Health issues and risks
 “We lock up men and forget about their existence.”*

19. *From: http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Adult_Programs/index.html
California Dept of Corrections and
Rehabilitation
“Adult Programs is at the heart of rehabilitation activity in
the California Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation (CDCR). Its goals are to (1) provide
effective evidence based programming to adult
offenders and (2) create strong partnerships with local
government, community based providers, and the
communities to which offenders return in order to
provide services that are critical to offenders’ success on
parole.”

20. *2007 reference from http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/news/docs/GovRehabilitationStrikeTeam
Culture of Corrections in CA
 Power of the CCPOA
 Added the “R” back into CDC in 2005
 Of $43,000 spent per prisoner/year,
$2,000 (5%) spent on rehabilitation
(2007)*
 Funding environment & impact on
programs
 $250 Million was cut from a $600 Million Adult
Program budget in January 2010.

21. Culture of Corrections in CA
“Program”
 Culture around punishment
 Suspicion of outside groups
 Power and control
 Concern about “idle” time

22. Contact Information
Julie Lifshay, MPH PhD
jlifshay@centerforce.org
www.centerforce.org