Basics of PRCS

What is Post-Release Community Supervision (PRCS)?

In 2011, California’s “Realignment” Law (A.B. 109) created a new form of community supervision under which certain people leaving state prison are monitored by the probation departments of each county, instead of by state parole. This new form of supervision is called Post-Release Community Supervision (PRCS).

As of October 1, 2011, people who are released from state prisons for crimes that are non-violent, non-serious, AND non-sexual are placed on PRCS under the supervision of county probation officers.[767]

  1. 767

    Cal. Penal Code §§ 3450–3465. ↑

Who will be released from state prison to county supervision on PRCS?

The following people will be released from state prison onto PRCS supervision:

    Individuals currently serving terms for non-violent, non-serious commitment offenses;
    Some sex offenders; AND
    Individuals who, prior to October 1, 2011, would have been placed on non-revocable parole (NRP).[768]

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you were paroled from state prison before October 1, 2011, you will stay on parole, and not be placed on PRCS. However, if you are returned to the custody of state prison due to a parole revocation case, the CDCR will screen your case beginning at least 180 days before your calculated release date (see the next question about this timeline) to decide if you should be (1) returned to state parole or (2) placed on PRCS after serving the revocation term.[769]

!

  1. 768

    Cal. Penal Code § 3450 et seq; 15 Cal. Code Regs. § 3079 et seq. ↑

  2. 769

    Cal. Penal Code § 3000.09(c). ↑

Who will not be released from state prison to county supervision on PRCS?

The 3 nons—anyone convicted of the following offenses will be released onto state PAROLE, not PRCS:

    A “serious” felony (as described in Cal. Pen. Code § 1192.7(c));
    A “violent” felony (as described in Cal. Pen. Code § 667.5(c));
    Individuals with an indeterminate life-term, including third-strikers, who were sentenced pursuant to Cal. Pen. Code § 667(e)(2) or § 1170.12(c)(2);
    Any crime for which the person is classified as a high-risk sex offender (as defined by CDCR);
    Any crime for which the person is required, as a condition of parole, to undergo treatment by the State Department of State Hospitals (DSH) as a mentally disordered offender pursuant to Cal. Pen. Code § 2962.[770]
    If you think you will be on parole, not PRCS, see earlier section on state parole, PG. 143).
  1. 770

    Cal. Penal Code § 3451(b). ↑

When is the PRCS vs. Parole assessment done?

Before you are released from prison, a correctional counselor will screen your case and decide whether to refer you to state parole or PRCS.[771] The correctional officer should start this screening process at least 180 days prior to your calculated release date.[772] The CDCR Form 611, “Release Program Study” (RPS) (see example in Appendix S, PG. 297) is used to determine if you will be eligible for PRCS after release.[773]

  1. 771

    Cal. Penal Code § 3451(a). ↑

  2. 772

    CDCR, http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/realignment/Post-Release-Community-Supervision.html. ↑

  3. 773

    CPOC, http://www.cpoc.org/assets/Realignment/whatcountiesneedtoknow.pptx. ↑