Corrections/Prison Fellowship Partner to Help Prison Overcrowding as Mandated by Supr. Ct. Ruling

TODAY - WED: New Out4Life California Reentry Movement Aims to Reduce Recidivism, Keep Communities Safe at No Taxpayer Expense

SAN DIEGO, May 23, 2011—Today the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that California must reduce its prison population by 38,000-46,000 inmates. A new reentry partnership between the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and Prison Fellowship, the world’s largest outreach to prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families, is designed to do just that - and at no cost to California taxpayers.

INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES: Community, business, non-profit and government leaders are available to discuss how Out4Life California can alleviate prison overcrowding. Contact Kelsey Ware Hulgan:  770.813.0000 or 404.754.3474 mobile. Full schedule for May 23-25 Out4Life California on-site opps.

Today through Wednesday in San Diego, Prison Fellowship and the CDCR launch Out4Life California, a reentry movement bringing together members of California's government, business, social services and faith communities to tackle the state's reentry issues. The goal is to strengthen local coalitions across the state - including San Diego and Los Angeles - to help released inmates lead productive, law-abiding lives by securing steady jobs, adequate housing, substance-abuse treatment and supportive relationships.

Helping released offenders in California is important because recidivism is a threat to public safety, results in an increasing financial burden on California taxpayers and contributes to prison overcrowding. Prison Fellowship has been working in California for decades to help close the revolving door of crime. With Out4Life California, the Virginia-based nonprofit is bringing together some 300 reentry partners to further coordinate their efforts to assist the more than 10,000 offenders released from overcrowded prisons each month.

"The Supreme Court has ruled that California must reduce its prison population, but the problem is that the state has no money to do this," said Prison Fellowship Vice President Pat Nolan, who is a former Republican leader of the California State Assembly and an ex-offender. "We have been working diligently for some time with the CDCR to ensure that released inmates are neighbor-friendly and not a public safety menace to California's communities. Prison Fellowship and our California reentry partners gathering at Out4Life this week are working together to offer a solution to prison overcrowding that doesn’t cost Californians a dime."

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