Holden Disappointed in Fate of His Prison Bill

Assemblymember Chris Holden, who represents Monrovia, said he was disappointed that his prison bill was shot down. His statement:

"I was extremely disappointed today that my effort to improve care for seriously mentally ill offenders was defeated in the Assembly Public Safety Committee.

"I think it's important to understand that under prison realignment the continuity and quality of mental health treatment for Mentally Disordered Offenders is jeopardized when these individuals are forced to transfer from State care to County care which often lacks the resources to treat these patients," said Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena).

"I believe this is an important issue that needs to be addressed in order to maintain both patient care and the safety of our communities. I will continue to work with Los Angeles County Probation and Mental Health officials and will take the bill up again," concluded Holden.

Jerry Powers, Chief Probation Officer, Los Angeles County added: "While I am very disappointed with the outcome of the vote today, I appreciate the work of Assembly Member Holden for recognizing and understanding the problem and stepping up to address this issue. I was also encouraged by and appreciated the support of Assembly Member Holly Mitchell and believe that we must make progress on this issue to improve public safety not only for Los Angeles County but all counties throughout the State."

Source: Holden press release

- Brad Haugaard