The 2012-13 Budget: The 2011 Realignment of Adult Offenders—An ...

2012-13 Budge t• 38 percent to the sheriff’s department,primarily for jail operations;• 32 percent to the probation department,primarily for supervision and programs;• 11 percent for programs and servicesprovided by other agencies, such asfor substance abuse and mental healthtreatment, housing assistance, andemployment services;• 9 percent for other services, includingdistrict attorney and public defender costs;• 10 percent set aside in reserve or undesignated(reduced to 2 percent if San Diego,which set aside more than half of itsallocation, is excluded).We would note that these percentages aresomewhat imprecise given the variation and lackof fiscal detail in some CCPs. For example, someCCPs do not specify which agency is to provide aparticular program or service (such as substanceabuse treatment)—making it unclear if theservice would be provided through the probationdepartment or another county agency.Handoff of Offenders From State to CountySupervision Generally Smooth. Based on ourconversations with county representatives, thetransition of inmates released from prison at theend of their terms to community supervision bycounties has generally gone well. Counties reportthat they usually receive information on theoffenders to be released well before their actualrelease dates. Also, to assist the transition process,CDCR has designated someone at each state prisonto be the contact person for counties when they havequestions or problems related to someone scheduledto be released. Counties report that this has made itsignificantly easier to manage problems quickly.Governor’s 2012-13 Budget ProposalsThe Governor proposes a couple of changesto the 2011 realignment. However, at the time thisanalysis was prepared, the administration had notyet released specific trailer bill language revisingthe 2011 realignment funding system. Specifically,the Governor is proposing some changes tohow funding is allocated in future years. Thesechanges include a somewhat simplified structure ofaccounts and subaccounts. This modified structureis shown in Figure 4. It has two main differencesfrom the existing realignment account structure.First, the Governor’s proposal significantly reducesthe number of accounts and subaccounts for healthand human services programs so that nearly allof those programs would be funded from just twosubaccounts (rather than from 11 subaccounts).Counties would also be provided fiscal flexibilityto transfer some of the funding—equal to anamount of up to 10 percent of the smaller of thetwo subaccounts—between these two particularsubaccounts. The administration does not proposesimilar changes to the criminal justice accounts forthe budget year, but suggests that similar flexibilityto shift funding among law enforcement subaccountsshould be provided to counties beginning in2015-16.Second, the Governor proposes that, generally,any unallocated growth in realignment revenues—estimated at $180 million in 2012-13—be allocatedproportionately among all of the accounts andsubaccounts. The administration is proposing,however, that child welfare funding increase by$200 million over the coming years and federallymandated programs receive priority for funding ifwarranted by caseloads and costs.10 Legislative Analyst’s Office www.lao.ca.gov