California could reduce the number of people serving lengthy prison sentences by providing more drug-treatment programs before a person receives a third strike, say some independent experts.
The San Francisco Chronicle and California Watch obtained and analyzed state-compiled data on education, psychological and substance-abuse profiles of more than 49,000 California inmates, which revealed that two-thirds of third strike inmates have a high need for substance abuse treatment, compared with less than half of all inmates.
The information revealed that second- and third-strikers are no more likely than average state prisoners to require cognitive therapy for dealing with criminal impulses.
Some prison reform advocates say the data suggest that greater investments in drug treatment programs could reduce the likelihood of prisoners re-offending. San Quentin’s Hope for Strikers group agrees with this idea, offering repeat offenders a program modeled after the 12-step addiction recovery program.
California prisons are having a difficult time addressing offenders’ rehabilitative needs, including substance abuse, due to severe overcrowding. Corrections officials are developing a plan to expand rehabilitation services and place inmates where such services are available, former CDCR Secretary Matthew Cate told California Watch.
