FROM THE FOUNDATION

Redefining the Safety Net

Should California establish a Basic Health Program for certain low-income residents? CHCF's Marian Mulkey captures a recent policy conversation in a Health Affairs blog.

Accountable Care in Action

A new post on the Health Affairs blog details how CalPERS kept costs down in Sacramento through a "virtual" ACO with insurers and providers.

Career Opportunity: Senior Program Officer

This position will play a major role in furthering the goals and objectives of the foundation's Better Chronic Disease Care program.

Patient Safety

Monday, December 19, 2011

State Prison Population Has Dropped by 8,000 Under Realignment Plan

The number of state prison inmates has fallen by more than 8,200 since California implemented a realignment plan in October, according to court papers filed by state officials, KPCC's "KPCC News" reports (Small, "KPCC News," KPCC, 12/16).

Background

Five years ago, a federal judge ruled that poor prison health care in California was leading to about 50 inmate deaths annually. A three-judge panel appointed a federal receiver to oversee health care and ordered the state to reduce its prison population.

State officials appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and the high court ruled in May that California must reduce its inmate population by about 34,000 within two years (California Healthline, 8/17).

Decline in Inmate Numbers

The state prison population has declined from a high of 173,000 in 2006 to 135,000 currently.

However, many state prisons still house more prisoners than they were designed to hold, according to "KPCC News" ("KPCC News," KPCC, 12/16).



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