BILL NUMBER: SB 678INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Leno FEBRUARY 27, 2009 An act relating to crime. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 678, as introduced, Leno. Criminal recidivism. Existing law establishes provisions authorizing the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to oversee programs for the purposes of reducing parolee recidivism. This bill would set forth the Legislature's intent to enact legislation that would reduce recidivism and improve public safety by redirecting state public resources to community corrections for the purpose of intervention and supervision over nonviolent offenders facing short prison commitments as an alternative to state prison. The bill would also declare the Legislature's intent to authorize a county, city and county, or a collaboration of counties or cities and counties to establish a community corrections program to which convicted felony offenders who are not required to register as sex offenders and have never been convicted of a serious felony or a violent felony may be sentenced for up to 9 months, followed by a 4-year probationary period. The bill would also set forth the Legislature's intent to enact legislation funding the community corrections program from the General Fund redirecting state prison incarceration costs to the costs of these community corrections programs. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would reduce recidivism and improve public safety by redirecting state public safety resources to community corrections for the purpose of developing a system of intense and strategic community intervention and supervision over nonviolent offenders who are facing short prison commitments as an alternative to state prison. (b) It is also the intent of the Legislature to authorize a county, a city and county, or a collaboration of counties or cities and counties to establish a community corrections program to which convicted felony offenders who are not required to register as sex offenders pursuant to Section 290, who were not sentenced for any offense that is a serious felony, as defined in Section 1192.7, or a violent felony, as defined in Section 667.5, and who do not have a prior conviction for a serious felony, as defined in Section 1192.7, or a violent felony, as defined in Section 667.5, could be sentenced by a court for up to nine months, followed by a probationary period of up to four years. (c) It is also the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would fund the community corrections program through funding from the General Fund, and that these funds would be derived from redirecting state prison incarceration costs to the costs of these community corrections programs.