*Authored by Van T. Ly, Esq., Chief of Staff for SF Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi, with the help of Sheriff Mirkarimi, Under Sheriff Federico Rocha, Chief Deputy Kathy Gorwood, and Director of Programs, Ali Riker. Page 1

SAN FRANCISCO SHERIFF DEPARTMENT’S JAIL POPULATION DATA* Our actual jail count on the first day of every month during the period of 1/1/2010 – 2/1/2015 (graph)

Our quarterly average jail count for the period of 2010-2014 (chart)

Both sets of empirical data show the expected trend of a decline in the general jail population

in the custody of the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department.

The decline in the jail population is attributable to a number of factors, and the aggregate effect

of which aims at one goal – ENHANCEMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

Multi-disciplinary approach to promote public safety: From alternative to incarceration

measures to alternative sentencing programs combined with focused effort on combating

recidivism.

o Lowering incarceration rate while maintaining accountability through supervised release

to our robust community-based or contracted programs, and alternative sentencing

programs; and,

o Reduction of Recidivism through a continuum of educational opportunities, vocational

training, and social and health care services (in-custody and post-release).

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1392

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1/1/

2010

2/1/

2010

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2010

4/1/

2010

5/1/

2010

6/1/

2010

7/1/

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2010

10/1

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0

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0

12/1

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0

1/1/

2011

2/1/

2011

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2011

4/1/

2011

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6/1/

2011

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2011

9/1/

2011

10/1

/201

1

11/1

/201

1

12/1

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1

1/1/

2012

2/1/

2012

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2012

4/1/

2012

5/1/

2012

6/1/

2012

7/1/

2012

8/1/

2012

9/1/

2012

10/1

/201

2

11/1

/201

2

12/1

/201

2

1/1/

2013

2/1/

2013

3/1/

2013

4/1/

2013

5/1/

2013

6/1/

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8/1/

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9/1/

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10/1

/201

3

11/1

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3

12/1

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1/1/

2014

2/1/

2014

3/1/

2014

4/1/

2014

5/1/

2014

6/1/

2014

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2014

8/1/

2014

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2014

10/1

/201

4

11/1

/201

4

12/1

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4

1/1/

2015

2/1/

2015

S.F. Sheriff Jail Population

Jail Ct.

2

POTENTIAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO JAIL POPULATION DECLINE

o Comprehensive approach:

Alternative to incarceration approach –aims at lowering the rate of incarceration

while maintaining accountability in allowing release from jail (pre- and post-

sentencing) to the direct supervision of the Sheriff Department’s community

based or contracted programs.

Pre-sentencing: Release of lower risk offenders through the SF Sheriff

Department’s contracted program called the Pretrial Diversion Project.

Direct supervision while out of custody allows the offenders to be

productive members of the community (e.g. return to work; family

reunification, etc.) while ensuring that the pre-trial release requirements of

the courts are fulfilled.

Post-sentencing: Release of lower risk offenders to serve their county jail

sentences out of custody through programs, such as Electronic Monitoring

or SWAP. Supervision of lower risk offenders in the community would

allow them to be productive members of the community (e.g. return to

work; family reunification, etc.) while holding them accountable for their

behavior through the restrictive measures.

Reduction of recidivism: In-custody educational, vocational and treatment

services combined with the availability of health care and post-released services

through our re-entry centers correlate directly to the decline of recidivism,

allowing the SF Sheriff’s Department to meet its primary goal of enhancing public

safety.1

Services: In-custody educational, vocational, and counseling services

through programs, such as San Francisco Sheriff’s Department Five Keys

Charter High School, SISTERS, Roads to Recovery, RSVP and COVER.

Through educational opportunities and vocational training, inmates gain

marketable skills which will help them obtain living wage jobs after their

release from custody. Coupled the availability of health care enrollment

while in custody, SF Sheriff’s Department offers a variety of services to

help inmates address their substance abuse or anger management or

mental health problems.

Health care enrollment: In-custody participation creates an incentive to

maintain care and services post-release.

Re-Entry Centers: Offenders receive continuing post-release care and

services through our Community Programs and Women’s Resource

Center.

1 RECIDIVISM – As defined by our department: Within 12 months of being released from custody, inmate is arraigned in San

Francisco on a new offense, or held in SF custody for probation or parole revocation.

Recidivism rates based on a sample consisting of releases between 7/1/2012 – 6/30/2013 of inmates who spent 30 or more days in our programs: ROADS TO RECOVERY – 32%; RSVP – 28%; AND, SISTERS – 31%.

3

A SAMPLE STUDY

FEBRUARY 4, 2015: THIS IS A SNAP SHOT IN TIME SPECIFIC TO THIS DAY.

o THE SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY JAIL SYSTEM, UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE SHERIFF’S

DEPARTMENT, HOUSED 1,167 INMATES ON THAT DAY

APPROXIMATELY 65% OF THE IN-CUSTODY POPULATION IS PRE-TRIAL.

o 105 PEOPLE UTILIZED OUR ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING PROGRAMS

INDIVIDUALS SERVING THEIR COUNTY JAIL SENTENCES OUT OF CUSTODY THROUGH

SWAP OR ELECTRONIC MONITORING.

AS A COMPARISON: IN 2014, A TOTAL OF 908 UNIQUE PARTICIPANTS ENROLLED

IN EM OR SWAP.

o IN 2013, EM REALIZED A NOTEWORTHY SUCCESS RATE OF 94%.

o 928 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN OUR COMMUNITY-BASED OR CONTRACTED PROGRAMS

PARTICIPANTS ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE QUALIFIED FOR PRE-

SENTENCE RELEASE OR FOR DIVERSION FROM PROSECUTION.