Major developments in California over the past year present an important window of opportunity for philanthropy to help effect much-needed change in the area of criminal justice reform.
In May, the U.S. Supreme Court released its decision in Brown v. Plata, affirming the ruling of a special three-judge federal court panel ordering California to reduce its prison overcrowding over a two-year timeline.
On October 1, 2011, counties in California began implementing the public safety “realignment” plan under AB 109, one of the most significant changes to California’s criminal justice system in decades.
