San Diego County is pushing the envelope on criminal justice reform as officials approved a new plan Wednesday to support individuals transitioning from incarceration back into society, reported the County News Center. The Board of Supervisors green-lit the move to establish what they're calling the San Diego Resource and Reentry Hub, centralizing various support services in one location for those freshly released from jail or those referred by law enforcement.
The initiative is part of the county's broader "Alternatives to Incarceration Initiative" and aims to tackle the practical obstacles that often hinder former inmates' reintegration, such as securing identification, health insurance, job and educational opportunities, housing and accessing vital behavioral health services, the initiative looks to make strides in reducing recidivism by offering an integrated approach to services, combining the knowledge and expertise of public health professionals with that of those from the sectors of justice and equity, alongside contributions from the community. In tandem with this development, supervisors instructed county staff to draft an ordinance within the next 120 days to beef up protections for jobseekers with a criminal background facing unlawful discrimination.
This yet-to-be-designed ordinance will support local labor standard enforcers already educating employers about California's Fair Chance Act, which prohibits most employers from asking about applicants' criminal histories until a job offer has been extended, as informed by officials from the County's Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement to the board.
According to the County News Center, the hub's creation, which is modeled after similar undertakings in other counties, was unanimously agreed upon by the Board of Supervisors as they also signed off on seeking bids or altering current contracts to bring this envisioned hub to fruition; the county is set to conduct significant community outreach to decide on the hub's optimal location, the ideal partners to be involved and the specific services that would render it effective. Amidst these efforts to revamp how society deals with those entangled in the criminal justice system, San Diego County is also planning to hold public listening sessions in April to further engage with the community and gather their input.
The "Alternatives to Incarceration Initiative" represents collaboration among an array of county departments and community members including representatives from Behavioral Health Services, the Probation Department, the Sheriff’s Department, the San Diego County District Attorney's office, the Office of the Public Defender, as well as the Office of Equity and Racial Justice—all the insights of which are funneled through an advisory group that also incorporates voices from justice system advocates, individuals with personal experience in the system, and service providers
With this multi-faceted effort, the county appears steadfast in its mission to pave a smoother, more equitable path toward societal reentry for those who have served their time, further details about the forthcoming listening sessions will be posted on the County’s Alternatives to Incarceration website.
