January 26, 2011 | 1:13 PM | By

Report: What does it really cost to run California’s prisons?

FILED UNDER: Corrections, Budget, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Jerry Brown

The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office has some issues with Governor Brown’s proposal to give an extra $395 million to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The LAO Monday released their analysis of the new governor’s CDCR budget–at least, the portion that takes millions out of the General Fund to address a “structural shortfall” at the prisons department. Over the past few years, it seems, the CDCR has exceeded its allocated budget (another way to look at it is the governor and legislature have low-balled what it actually takes to operate the department). According to the LAO:

“the department typically notifies the Legislature of a shortfall after the additional expenses were incurred and generally after the fiscal year ended. Thus, the Legislature has little choice but to either approve additional funding or authorize the transfer of funds from other program areas to cover the shortfall.”

Another example of less-than-transparent budgeting, according to the LAO, is the CDCR’s propensity to “free up” money by taking it out of rehabilitation and substance abuse programs and using it for security costs.

Governor Brown this year has asked for additional money for the CDCR, in an effort to make up for past mistakes in estimating the budget. The proposal is an apparent effort to be more transparent and realistic about what CDCR spends. But in their report, the LAO seems to be saying it’s still not owning up to the agency’s true budget.

First, here’s what Governor Brown says he wants the money for:

  • $266.5 Million is for correctional officers’ salary. In the past, the budget for salaries has assumed that officers are earning amounts at the midrange of their possible pay. That’s not accurate: it takes somewhere around four years to get to the top of that range, and many more officers than estimated are already there.
  • $55.2 Million for transporting inmates to medical facilities. For complicated medical problems, inmates have to be taken to hospitals and facilities outside of prison walls. And that transport process costs money, more than the $66.5 million allotted last year.
  • $35.7 Million for correctional officer overtime. Brown says the amount allotted for OT hasn’t been adjusted since 2000 and doesn’t reflect current salaries.
  • $20.5 Million is for legal expenses. Like settlements, attorney fees, and expert witness fees.
  • $17.3 Million for vacant beds. Yes, there are unoccupied beds in the prison system, kept to allow changes in inmate housing needs. These “swing beds” are not accounted for in the per-inmate calculations for housing costs.

What does the LAO say the governor is missing?

  • Previous projected savings that have not been achieved. Such as $292 million that the CDCR said they’d save last year in “personnel costs” but didn’t. The budget assumes that that money will be made up for in this coming year, but the LAO points out there’s no plan to achieve those savings–and that such savings may not be possible “due to difficulties in reducing security staffing absent policy changes to reduce the inmate population.“
  • Any sort of guarantee that this budget’s for real this time. What’s to prevent the CDCR, if its gets this requested $395 million, from going over its allocated budget again, this time after having been given more?
  • Evidence that the CDCR has exhausted its cost-saving potential before asking for more money. Such as with inmate transport to medical facilities, has the CDCR explored a revision to its policy that calls for two escorts?

Full report available here.

  • Peckerwood_Pete

    If you want a prime example of government waste … look no farther than CDCR. Running over budget is nothing new for this fiscally out of control organization … in fact running over budget is the norm. Department heads are encouraged to spend every penny allocated for their departments or risk losing funding the next fiscal year.

  • Showme

    Dear Peckerwood – if you have four children and it costs $50 per month to feed each child but your food budget is only $160, you’ll have a $40 dollar unfunded deficit. You can cut out a couple of your Red Box video nights and reduce your deficit to $35 but the structural deficit hasn’t gone away. Your other option is to get rid of one of the kids and that will give you a small surplus in the current year, but then your budget will be reduced in the following year and you’ll have the same problem. As for CDCR being fiscally out of control, the department did not approve the salaries the officers make, the administration did. And the department did not pass the tough on crime laws that sees life sentences handed out for a 3rd offense of shoplifiting or drug possession, thank the legislature for that. For too many years being “smart” on crime has been labeled as “soft” on crime, it’s time to get serious if this administration and legislature want to reign in costs at CDCR. Medical parole is a smart start. By the way, great name Peckerwood.

  • Anonymous

    Well, that is a very simplistic explanation to a problem that Peckerwood correctly points to. Personnel costs are borne by the state, but it is the rampant deals between the CDCR, the state and the prison “guards” union that causes this budget shortfall. Union contracts and negotiations not withstanding, personnel costs are totally out of control and it is a shame that Californians don’t understand that most states would never pay $100,000.00 plus for a person with only a GED to guard minimum to medium security inmates. CDCR is fiscally our of control.

  • Canteenkenny

    OK, so it is past union negotiations that gave us cost overruns. But, we are stuck with those contracts until Brown (we hope) negotiates better contracts. Showme is right, CDCR has been given a mess by The-Powers-That-Be, and is now being blamed for the mess. You are right that CDCR shows poor fiscal management, but you will be hard pressed to find a government agency of more than 5 million in budget who does much better.

  • Anonymous

    LOL, I agree with you, but I doubt you meant $5 million”, I think you meant 5 billion! At any rate, CDCR does what it does to placate any number of idiot groups, and I include taxpayers, stupid legislators and members of the CCPOA. It is time that the CDCR takes responsibility for their own actions. They never complied with the 2005 rehabilitation mandate because they kept taking funding from that initiative and placing into the general security fund to take care of overtime problems. That isn’t as much of a “dis” of CDCR as you may think. It isn’t an easy hoe to row, but if no one has the balls to stand up and do the right thing, the whole tower collapses. That is what is happening in the US today with incarceration, particularly with California. Tell me, why do we spend more and more on “prison health care” and get less and less for our money? Inmates aren’t getting and different care from the non care they are receiving. The money is being frittered away by do nothings. Yet the public complains that inmates get better care inside than outside. Let me tell you something. If you go to the emergency center because you can’t afford a doctor you will at least be seen in a few hours. Inmates are expected to wait up to 14 days or longer. That’s why so many die. Doctors don’t make the decision as to who needs to be seen, nurses do. And often inmates ability to get to those nurses is stymied by prison staff or policies. 1.5 Billion dollars in health care earmarks wasted. My tax dollars at work.

  • Nora1039

    Prison health care is out of control. Both for the tax payers and for the prisoners. I completed an entire plan of care if they would release my son. He has served 20 years for a motorcycle wreck. His health is a total disaster. I have offered many times to take care of him. The state parole board keep ignoring all requests. Well I guess the taxpayers can keep paying for something I have volunteered to pay for if my son were home.
    Go figure…..

  • WOWBROTHISSUCKS

    I’M NOT SURE WHERE OR “WHOM” THE FINANCES ARE BENEFICIAL FOR BUT THE ESTIMATED INMATE COST IS NOT AT ALL WHAT THEY USE ON AN INMATE AT ALL. THEY ARE LIVING IN IN HUMANE FACILITIES AT CRC IN NORCO CA. MOST PEOPLE WOULDN’T EVEN LET THEIR DOGS LIVE IN SUCH FILTH. THEIR MEALS COULD NOT POSSIBLY COST MORE THEN 5.00 A DAY PER INMATE AND THE ONLY THING THEY PROVIDE IS THEIR CLOTHING. ANYTHING THE INMATE NEEDS EVEN TO HAVE HYGIENE SUCH AS SOAP, DEODORANT, TOOTH BRUSHES, AND TOOTHPASTE HAVE TO BE PURCHASED BY FAMILY IN PACKAGES PROVIDED BY COMPANIES FROM THE PRISON THAT CAN ONLY BE PURCHASED EVERY 3-4 MONTHS. DUE TO THE PACKAGES ONLY BEING PURCHASED QUARTERLY THE COST IS MORE THEN WHAT A FAMILY OF 4 WOULD SPEND IN A MONTH ON GROCERIES. THE FAMILY MEMBERS PAY FOR THE USE OF THE PHONE, AND THE FAMILY HAS TO EVEN PURCHASE CLOTHES THROUGH THESE SAME COMPANIES FOR THE INMATES TO WHERE HOME. THEY DO NOT PROVIDE PAPER, PENCILS, ENVELOPES, STAMPS, ETC. THE FAMILIES DO. IF THE INMATES GET ANYTHING DONE INSIDE THE FACILITY SUCH AS SEE THE DOCTOR OR THE DENTIST IT GETS TAKEN OUT OF THE INMATES CASH ACCOUNT THAT IS ONCE AGAIN FUNDED BY THE FAMILIES, HOWEVER THE INMATES WORK IN THERE AND GET PAID SO IT WOULD BE TAKEN FROM THAT MONEY AS WELL. EVEN IF THE INMATES GET AN ASPIRIN THE FAMILY OR THE INMATE ACCT PAYS FOR IT. SO THE COST OF AN INMATE AS THEY HAVE ESTIMATED IS COMPLETE CRAP THEY ARE ESTIMATING FOR THEIR PAYCHECKS OR SOMETHING BECAUSE IT DEFINITELY DOES NOT COST MUCH FOR AN INMATE TO BE THERE. IF THEY WANT TO BE TECHNICAL ABOUT THINGS SUCH AS ROOM AND BOARD WELL THE MONTHLY RENTAL OF A BED SURE COULDN’T COST MORE THEN 100.00 A MONTH AND AS FOR LIGHTS AND WATER THERE IS NO WAY THAT ONE PERSON USING THE LIGHTS AND WATER OF WHICH THEY ARE ALLOWED TO USE COULD COST MORE THEN A 100.00 DOLLARS A MONTH PER INMATE. SO WITH FOOD BEING 5.00 A DAY PER INMATE X A 30 DAY MONTH WOULD BE 150.00 A MONTH AND ROOM AND BOARD 200.00 A MONTH THAT WOULD BE 350.00 A MONTH PER INMATE X HOWEVER MANY YEARS THEIR SENTENCE IS SURELY DOES NOT ADD UP TO WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO PROCLAIM IT COSTS. SOMEONE IS GETTING A PRETTY FAT PAYROLL CHECK AND LETTING THE FACILITY GO TO SHIT FOR IT AND THE FAMILIES GO BROKE OVER IT. DID YOU KNOW THAT THE P.O.S DO NOT EVEN HAVE TO HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA TO WORK THERE SO JUST HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK THEY COST FOR EMPLOYMENT ITS THE HIGHER UP IN COMMAND EMPLOYEES THAT ARE GETTING WHATS ABSOLUTELY UNDESERVED OR POSSIBLY AS FAR AS THE CITY COUNCIL WHO REALLY KNOWS HOW FAR THIS DECEPTION GOES WE WILL NEVER EVER REALLY KNOW BECAUSE IT IS COVERED UP BY SO MANY.

  • INMATES FAMILY

    THE INMATES FAMILIES END UP PAYING FOR THEIR MEDICAL RECEIVED IN THERE OR THE INMATES THEMSELVES DO

  • WOWBROTHISSUCKS

    THEY CAN’T EVEN PROVIDE PLAYING CARDS THAT HAVE A FULL DECK FOR VISITING OR GAMES THAT CAN BE PLAYED WITH THE INMATES CHILDREN DO NOT EVEN HAVE ALL THE PLAYING PIECES ITS A JOKE

  • Anonymous

    Inmates families cannot, due to regulations, pay for any health care for incarcerated inmates. While there are Title 15 exceptions, I have never seen them actually allow outside care by physicians or other health care professionals. No drugs or prescription items can be brought into prison, the prison must provide the necessities. While this may not make economic sense, it makes sense security-wise. Show me proof that I am saying something that isn’t true. Secondly, inmates only pay (rarely) a $5.00 co-payment if they aren’t indigent. They are never expected to pay for treatment or medication and that is also because of regulation.

  • Anonymous

    Seriously? First off, why do you insist on using the very hard to read all capital letter writing form. Secondly, and I repeat, inmates and their families are not charged for medicine nor for medical exams or procedures, ever. The most an inmate can be charged, if he has money on his account, is a $5.00 Co-Pay. Food, by the way, is much less than $5.00 per day (it is actually around $.85 per meal on average). The prison provides tooth brushes, combs, bar soap, tooth powder and dental floss. The prison also gives indigent inmates 5 stamped envelopes per week. Yes, it is ludicrous that the prison does not also just give out paper and pens, but inmates should always be able to obtain the writing paper to write the 5 letters per week. Regulations say that the inmate is also given paper and a writing implement. The system provides release clothing, but there is no cost (other than postage) for the family to send in release clothing. It can be used and it can, heaven forbid, be clothing owned by the prisoner before he or she was incarcerated. No where is it stated that the family has to purchase the release clothing.

    Listen, if you are going to complain, at least know the facts.