Administration of Justice update 8/8/2014
Realignment Resources
California Forward Announces Launch of Research
Inventory
California Forward’s Partnership for Community Excellence
recently unveiled a research inventory that seeks to capture in a
central location public safety realignment related research.
Assisting California Forward in the compilation of relevant
research studies undertaken since the enactment of the 2011
Public Safety Realignment Act was Valerie Jenness, Dean of Social
Ecology at UC Irvine. Counties undoubtedly will find the
inventory valuable; it can be accessed
here. For information about the Partnership and status of
current projects, please contact Sharon Aungst or by phone
(916/529-0912).
Social Innovation Bonds
AB 1837 (Atkins) – Request for Comment
As amended August 4, 2014
AB 1837, by Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, would establish a framework for the issuance of up to $5 million in social innovation or pay-for-success bonds. An appropriation of the same amount included in the 2014-15 budget – part of the Recidivism Reduction Fund expenditures – is contingent upon authorizing legislation.
This measure would serve as that authorizing vehicle. The measure would dedicate grant funds, as specified, to social innovation financing contracts, which are agreements among government, private investors, and service providers under which the investors provide financing to service providers based on agreed-upon outcomes. In return, the governmental entity agrees to pay a return on the investment if the service provider achieves a successful programmatic outcome. (For more on this emergent contracting model, visit the Harvard Kennedy School’s Social Impact Bond Technical Assistance Lab.)
AB 1837 expresses legislative intent that this grant program, with the support of available philanthropic and private investment, would be dedicated to a variety of approaches shown to be successful in reducing recidivism – including strategies to address homelessness, substance use disorder treatment, and increased workforce participation.
The measure would establish the Social Innovation Financing Program, with specifications regarding required elements of grant applications. The Board of State and Community Corrections, the administering entity of the program, would solicit applications from interested county boards of supervisors. Three counties would be selected to receive grants of between $500,000 and $2 million (for a total not to exceed $5 million) to enter into contracts with interested investors.
AB 1837 also identifies required elements of grant applications as well as expectations regarding performance targets. Successful county applicants would be permitted to use up to 10 percent of the award grant to develop the pay for success financing contract. The provisions of the measure would sunset in 2020. Counties interested in this new initiative are encouraged to review AB 1837 and contact CSAC with any questions.
Realignment Resources
California Forward Announces Launch of Research Inventory
California Forward’s Partnership for Community Excellence recently unveiled a research inventory that seeks to capture in a central location public safety realignment related research. Assisting California Forward in the compilation of relevant research studies undertaken since the enactment of the 2011 Public Safety Realignment Act was Valerie Jenness, Dean of Social Ecology at UC Irvine. Counties undoubtedly will find the inventory valuable; it can be accessed here. For information about the Partnership and status of current projects, please contact Sharon Aungst by phone (916/529-0912) or email.
Social Innovation Bonds
AB 1837 (Atkins) – Request for Comment
As amended August 4, 2014
AB 1837, by Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, would establish a framework for the issuance of up to $5 million in social innovation or pay-for-success bonds. An appropriation of the same amount included in the 2014-15 budget – part of the Recidivism Reduction Fund expenditures – is contingent upon authorizing legislation. This measure would serve as that authorizing vehicle.
The measure would dedicate grant funds, as specified, to social innovation financing contracts, which are agreements among government, private investors, and service providers under which the investors provide financing to service providers based on agreed-upon outcomes. In return, the governmental entity agrees to pay a return on the investment if the service provider achieves a successful programmatic outcome. (For more on this emergent contracting model, visit this page for Harvard Kennedy School’s Social Impact Bond Technical Assistance Lab.)
AB 1837 expresses legislative intent that this grant program, with the support of available philanthropic and private investment, would be dedicated to a variety of approaches shown to be successful in reducing recidivism – including strategies to address homelessness, substance use disorder treatment, and increased workforce participation.
The measure would establish the Social Innovation Financing Program, with specifications regarding required elements of grant applications. The Board of State and Community Corrections, the administering entity of the program, would solicit applications from interested county boards of supervisors. Three counties would be selected to receive grants of between $500,000 and $2 million (for a total not to exceed $5 million) to enter into contracts with interested investors. AB 1837 also identifies required elements of grant applications as well as expectations regarding performance targets. Successful county applicants would be permitted to use up to 10 percent of the award grant to develop the pay for success financing contract. The provisions of the measure would sunset in 2020.
Counties interested in this new initiative are encouraged to review AB 1837 and contact CSAC with any questions.
Non-Homicide Trials Cost Assistance
SB 16 (Gaines) – Support
As Amended June 17, 2014
SB 16, by Senator Ted Gaines, seeks to address cost assistance in non-homicide criminal cases. CSAC and RCRC jointly support this measure.
The program contemplated in SB 16 is modeled largely modeled after the homicide reimbursement program in which state financial assistance may be sought when costs greatly exceed a county’s financial capacity. Under this measure, counties could apply to the State Controller’s Office for reimbursement of the costs incurred by the county. The program would be subject to an appropriation by the Legislature.
In our view, SB 16 is narrowly crafted and seeks to address only the most complex and costly cases that threaten to overwhelm a county’s ability to provide an appropriate defense. The reimbursement program only would apply to cases in which the Attorney General is handling the prosecution due to the matter’s scope and complexity. The bill stems from a case in the author’s jurisdiction where a case involving a complex financial scheme is severely taxing the county’s resources.
At the August 6 Assembly Appropriations Committee hearing, SB 16 was referred to the committee’s suspense file.