Essential services, procedures, and structures designed to reduce recidivism, break the intergenerational cycle of violence, and save taxpayer dollars for more positive expenditures will serve the larger end of reducing crime in the communities and enhancing public safety. Recommendations presented by the Task Force on California Prison Crowding to reduce the existing problems in the State’s prisons include: (1) move 4,500 non-serious, low-risk women to community-based facilities; (2) reform the parole system and focus on reentry, adopt evidence-based supervision and assessment procedures, institute intermediate sanctions, and use a structured decisionmaking system; (3) create an adult corrections challenge grant program to establish a partnership between State and local corrections in order to expand sentencing options, enhance rehabilitative services, and strengthen local reentry systems; and (4) establish a Sentencing Policy Commission authorized by the legislature to translate the broad design of sentencing statutes into a workable system balancing uniformity of sentencing with flexibility for individualization, ensure that sentencing reflects the culpability and harmfulness of the convicted and allow for an evaluation of the use of parole. The principles, under which these recommendations are made include implement evidence-based practices, standardize risk and needs assessments, coordinate case management, provide essential services to reentering prisoners, evaluate programs, and promote public awareness. The policies that led to California’s prison crowding have not increased public safety. However, the recommendations put forth in this paper are designed to achieve that goal. The purpose of this report is to offer some policy and program options to be considered in the Special Session of the Legislature on the severe problems in California prisons. References