Date of Award

Spring 3-1-2016

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Abstract

This research paper takes a look at The State of California's 2011 Realignment Law - Assembly Bill (AB 109) and its impact on counties in the San Francisco Bay Area (SFBA). California revolutionized corrections by diverting sentenced offenders from the state (CDC and parole) to the county (jails and probation). This is a drastic change that reduced the prison population and transitioned financial and social challenges of the state onto the counties. Now as offenders exit incarceration, they face the same challenge so many other citizens currently face - finding and securing affordable housing. The SFBA has seen record surges of rents and property values which has decimated the supply of available housing. An assumption here is: wrap-around services offered to those released is key to low recidivism rates. Money can buy services such as drug treatment, but it will not buy a supply of available, affordable housing. This paper will show that housing is a crucial service for offender rehabilitation. Assumption - supply of housing is so diminished that a surge in recidivism is inevitable without a solution to the housing shortage. A multi county search for service providers has been conducted to answer these questions: Is housing crucial to the reduction of recidivism? As counties face a housing crisis, how is the challenge of housing released offenders met? How are the SFBA counties housing released offenders? California Counties meet these challenges by partnering with community-based organizations (CBOs) equipped with programs to stabilize and support the formerly incarcerated. This will hopefully maintain or reduce recidivism of that population. The State of California through AB 109 diverts correctional funds to counties but does not direct on how to spend those funds. This study will explore how counties provide housing and other services across the SFBA to post-release AB 109 offenders.

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