Garces 1

Carlos Garces

Mr. Turner

English 01

22 October 2017

Tulare County Library Literacy Program: AB 109

Most every Tuesday the Tulare County Board of Supervisors meets to discuss business occurring in the County as well as items that involve public needs. During these meeting all constituents are welcomed to attend and are also able to listen live online to hear where their tax dollars are going. This was the first meeting I had ever attended. There were many people from directors, contractors to ordinary residents. The meeting I attended was on October 17, 2017. It was very interesting to hear the many events that the board of supervisors attend that allows them to be involved with the residents of their district.

However during the meeting one of the items that was discussed that was interesting to me was about a literacy program that tied with AB 109. When this item was presented they discussed how the literacy program worked with AB 109, the funding from AB 109, county costs and the overall benefit that comes with the program. I didn't know much about AB 109 so one of the first things I did was look up the agenda item which to my surprise was available online along with the audio.

On the CaliforniaDepartment of Corrections and Rehabilitation website I learned that in 2011, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed Assembly Bill (AB) 109. The bill was to reduce overcrowding in the state prisons. All low level offenders will be able to serve their time in a county jail instead of a state prison. But all those that were in the state prison prior to the implementation were to remain in the state prison until their time has been completed. In doing so would allow all counties to preplan for all incoming offenders. Before the implementation of AB 109 the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation states that 55,000 to 65,000 offenders were new admission from county courts to state prisons. With AB 109 the annual admissions reduced to less than 36,000 a year. But most importantly with the bill all 58 counties in California would receive funding to assist these low level offenders to transition back into the community as well provide the county jails funding for space among other items.

During the Board of Supervisors meeting a literacy program was discussed that tied into AB 109. The Tulare County Library wanted to have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Tulare County Sheriff's Department for a two part literacy program and the approval of staff as well as services. As noted in the Board Agenda Item the first program is "Books Beyond Bars- Breaking the Barriers to Success."This program would supply inmates with books to read, write and basic math instructions. The second program, Mother/Father Read Program is to assist inmates to improve their reading skills to eventually record themselves reading a book to their child. As mention in the MOU both programs would provide both men and women the skills that will help them to reintegrate into society easier.

In reading the agenda item and MOU, this was a program the library had already worked with the Sheriffs before. It's my belief that it has been effective as this is a service that is renewed yearly. With AB 109 the Sheriff's department is able to fund a part time person, books and materials for the library. Based on the Board Agenda Item as long as AB 109 continues to provide sufficient funding the program and staff services will not cost the county anything, in other words it will not affect the county budget. Both departments have come to an agreement if at any point funding is reduced the MOU in place will be canceled.

It's my belief that the literacy program being paid through AB 109 was designed to benefit all parties involved. From my point of view I would consider this to fall under the Micro, Mezzo, Macro system. As many are low level offenders or first time offenders these programs allow the county to begin to work with the individual first (Micro) before releasing them. After release the county continues to work with the person to support them as they integrate into the community as well as their family, this would represent Mezzo. Lastly, as the person gains support, confidence and other educational skills, the person is less likely to be rearrested thus fully integrating into society which represents the Macro portion of the whole system. Therefore, I believe this program will benefit all parties involved.

With AB 109 along with the literacy program it protects many people from committing other offenses and allows them to have another chance. Many have committed offenses in which could be resolved in local jails but when sent to a state prison they are exposed to a high risk environment thus adapting to this even if it's for a minimal time. When they are out, they continue to function with the same mentality with little to no support in which they are compelled to commit crimes. For each low level offense it became a large expense to the city as well as society. I think just as Governor Brown stated,

For too long, the State’s prison system has been a revolving door for lowerlevel offenders and parole violators who are released within months—often before they are even transferred out of a reception center. Cycling these offenders through state prisons wastes money, aggravates crowded conditions, thwarts rehabilitation, and impedes local law enforcement supervision.

In the end, I have come to find out that with AB 109 it has protection for those low level offenders as it protects them as part of their Eight Amendment in which states, "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted (Levy, Michael)." Sending low level offenders to a state prison that is overcrowded was considered excessive and usual. Two cases I found on California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that began this change were Plata v. Schwarzenegger that claimed that overcrowding conditions resulted in unconstitutional medical care and Coleman v. Schwarzenegger involving mental health services for prisoners. These proceedings have now protected all low level offenders to have a second chance for change, support and reintegration to the community.

Works Cited

"2011 Public Safety Realignment Fact Sheet." California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 19 Dec. 2013. Fact-Sheet.pdf. Accessed 17 Oct. 2017.

Brown Jr, Edmund G. Signing Message. Accessed 17 Oct. 2017.

Levy, Michael. Eight Amendment. Encyclopedia Britannica. 16 Mar. 2016. Accessed 23 Oct. 2017.

"Public Safety Realignment." California Department of Corrections, Accessed 17 Oct. 2017.

"Three-Judge Panel and California Inmate Population Reduction." California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 23 May 2011, 05-23-Three-Judge-Panel-Background.pdf. Accessed 17 Oct. 2017.

Tulare County Board of Supervisors Agenda and Supporting Documents. 17 Oct. 2017, Item17, Accessed 17 Oct. 2017.