(a) Contingent upon a Budget Act appropriation, the Department of Corrections shall ensure that any parolee convicted of violating Section 646.9 on or after January 1, 2002, who is deemed to pose a high risk of committing a repeat stalking offense be placed on an intensive and specialized parole supervision program for a period not to exceed the period of parole.
(b) (1) The program shall include referral to specialized services, for example substance abuse treatment, for offenders needing those specialized services.
(2) Parolees participating in this program shall be required to participate in relapse prevention classes as a condition of parole.
(3) Parole agents may conduct group counseling sessions as part of the program.
(4) The department may include other appropriate offenders in the treatment program if doing so facilitates the effectiveness of the treatment program.
(c) The program shall be established with the assistance and supervision of the staff of the department primarily by obtaining the services of mental health providers specializing in the treatment of stalking patients. Each parolee placed into this program shall be required to participate in clinical counseling programs aimed at reducing the likelihood that the parolee will commit or attempt to commit acts of violence or stalk their victim.
(d) The department may require persons subject to this section to pay some or all of the costs associated with this treatment, subject to the person’s ability to pay. “Ability to pay” means the overall capability of the person to reimburse the costs, or a portion of the costs, of providing mental health treatment, and shall include, but shall not be limited to, consideration of all of the following factors:
(1) Present financial position.
(2) Reasonably discernible future financial position.
(3) Likelihood that the person shall be able to obtain employment after the date of parole.
(4) Any other factor or factors that may bear upon the person’s financial capability to reimburse the department for the costs.
(e) For purposes of this section, a mental health provider specializing in the treatment of stalking patients shall meet all of the following requirements:
(1) Be a licensed clinical social worker, as defined in Article 4 (commencing with Section 4996) of Chapter 14 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, a clinical psychologist, as defined in Section 1316.5 of the Health and Safety Code, or a physician and surgeon engaged in the practice of psychiatry.
(2) Have clinical experience in the area of assessment and treatment of stalking patients.
(3) Have two letters of reference from professionals who can attest to the applicant’s experience in counseling stalking patients.
(f) The program shall target parolees convicted of violating Section 646.9 who meet the following conditions:
(1) The offender has been subject to a clinical assessment.
(2) A review of the offender’s criminal history indicates that the offender poses a high risk of committing further acts of stalking or acts of violence against his or her victim or other persons upon his or her release on parole.
(3) The parolee, based on his or her clinical assessment, may be amenable to treatment.
(g) On or before January 1, 2006, the Department of Corrections shall evaluate the intensive and specialized parole supervision program and make a report to the Legislature regarding the results of the program, including, but not limited to, the recidivism rate for repeat stalking related offenses committed by persons placed into the program and a cost-benefit analysis of the program.
(h) This section shall become operative upon the appropriation of sufficient funds in the Budget Act to implement this section.
(Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 159, Sec. 163. Effective January 1, 2002. Operation of section is contingent upon funding, as provided in subd. (h).)
Last modified: October 25, 2018