Bill > H1382

This bill proposes to amend existing law to create community-based sentencing alternatives for primary caretakers of dependent children who are convicted of non-violent offenses. A "dependent child" is defined as someone under 18 years old. A "non-violent offense" excludes crimes involving physical force, deadly weapons, burglary, extortion, arson, kidnapping, explosives, or conduct that poses a serious risk of physical injury. A "primary caretaker of a dependent child" is a parent who has consistently cared for a child's housing, health, and safety before incarceration, or a woman who has given birth and is willing to care for the child. The bill states that if a court convicts someone of a non-violent offense and determines they are a primary caretaker, the court must impose a sentence without imprisonment, focusing on community rehabilitation, parent-child unity, and support. This sentence can include various conditions such as drug and alcohol treatment, counseling, educational and vocational services, housing assistance, financial literacy, parenting classes, and family counseling. The court can also require the person to appear periodically to monitor their progress or violations, and can modify the sentence, decrease its duration for successful advancement, or impose a term of imprisonment if conditions are violated.