The realignment first took effect in October 2011.  Under that program, which is also known as AB 109, certain state prisoners started being transferred to county jails in order to serve out the remainder of their sentences.  The state promised it would provide additional funding to the OCSD in order to offset additional costs. Hutchens said more than 30,000 detainees have been shifted to county jails since AB 109 was implemented.

State officials disagree.  They have said that the reduction in the number of state prisoners is not due to them being shifted out.  Many of those numbers are due to attrition, they said.   People who have been released are no longer in custody because their sentences were served or because they were eligible for parole.

The realignment came about after the US Supreme Court ruled that overcrowded conditions in state prisons were causing what they described as needless suffering and death.  They ordered California to cut inmate populations immediately.   The OCSD has confirmed they have since seen an increase in non-serious, non-sexual, non-violent offenders being detained in their jails.  In previous years persons serving more than 12 months would have done their time in prison.  Now, they said, local offenders are being housed locally.

The daily cost to hold someone in a county jail is approximately $50 per day.  This reflects a $100 per day cost savings over sending them to prison. OC Sheriff Hutchens said the county has been shortchanged by about $10 million since the realignment went into effect.  State officials said Orange County jails received about $58 million last year and are due to receive $68 million next year.

Hutchens said the county is exploring adding new programs that would reduce recidivism rates.   Current programs reportedly include domestic violence programs and sober living homes.   It is important to give inmates the tools that will help prevent them from re-offending.