Mandatory Supervision Court

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

California’s 2011 Public Safety Realignment Act fundamentally altered the criminal justice system by changing the definition of a felony, shifting low level offenders from prison to local county jail, and transferring supervision of designated parolees from the state to counties. Realignment created a new category of local community supervision: Mandatory Supervision offenders. Mandatory Supervision offenders serve “split sentences,” with time in local jail and time in the community reporting to a probation officer and appearing before Mandatory Supervision Court, a unique program designed by San Diego County justice partners and implemented in January 2013. Mandatory Supervision Court is a collaborative process in which the Probation Department, Court, District Attorney, Public Defender, and Sheriff’s Department work together with the offender to design and implement a case plan for success and to hold the offender accountable. Thirty days prior to release from jail, offenders attend a hearing to review their individualized case plans and discuss progress made toward goals. Once offenders are released, they attend regular status hearings for continued updates of progress made in the community toward completing goals established in their case plan. The tailored case management and close monitoring of offenders has helped participants break the cycle of crime.