Bill > SB551

This bill aims to redefine the purpose and approach of corrections and rehabilitation in California, emphasizing a more humane and growth-oriented approach to incarceration. The bill recognizes the significant negative health impacts of imprisonment on both correctional officers and incarcerated individuals, noting that each year in prison can reduce life expectancy. It introduces two key principles: dynamic security (respectful communication between staff and incarcerated persons) and normalization (making prison life as close to normal life as possible). The legislation seeks to shift the primary objective of incarceration from pure punishment to promoting personal growth, rehabilitation, and successful community reintegration. It mandates that the prison system should not unnecessarily aggravate the suffering inherent in imprisonment and encourages maintaining family connections, providing educational and rehabilitative programs, and treating incarcerated individuals with dignity. The bill acknowledges that 95 percent of incarcerated people will eventually return to their communities, and therefore emphasizes the importance of preparing them to be productive citizens through comprehensive support, skill-building, and humane treatment. By amending sections of the Penal Code, the bill aims to create a more rehabilitative and supportive correctional environment that prioritizes personal development and successful reentry into society.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB551