San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie M. Dumanis joined California Attorney General Kamala Harris in announcing plans to create a new unit to curb recidivism.
The new Division of Recidivism and Re-Entry will use innovate technology, such as the California SmartJustice program led by the state attorney general.
This will help prosecutors to have accurate data and help to determine prison realignment on public safety, using the latest art of technology, Dumanis said in a news release. The system analyzes offenders’ recidivism risk factors. It also tracks repeat offenders and offense trends to provide counties more effective options of developing anti-recidivism initiatives.
“San Diego County has been a statewide leader in working to reduce recidivism through innovative prisoner re-entry programs,” Dumanis said. “We welcome the attorney general’s leadership and commitment of resources in this area as our county continues to protect public safety while dealing with the ongoing challenges brought on by prisoner realignment.”
Dumanis said the goal is to continue working with law enforcement to try and stop the revolving door to prison and protect public safety. Since 2007, the prisoner re-entry program has lowered the recidivism rate to 34 percent and resulted in $10 million in savings.
The San Diego DA’s office participates in other programs such as four drug courts, behavioral health court, and veterans’ court. The county also expanded re-entry court and created a mandatory supervision court—the first of its kind in the state.
The county also has re-entry programming with the Probation Department to make a Community Transitional Center that provides transitional housing for returning state prisoners.
