Calif. Panel Recommends Giving 15 Counties $500M To Meet State Prison Realignment Goals

Last week, a California panel recommended that 15 state counties receive a total of $500 million in construction funds to meet goals for the state's realignment plan. In 2006, U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson ruled that federal oversight of the state's prison health care system was needed after determining that an average of one inmate per week died as a result of medical malpractice or neglect. To help curb prison overcrowding, the state implemented a plan by Gov. Jerry Brown (D) to send inmates convicted of lower-level crimes to county jails. On Jan. 16, the Board of State and Community Correction will consider final approval for the funding.

• "Sacramento County Poised To Receive $56 Million for Jail Services" (Branan, Sacramento Bee, 12/14).