By Patty Lane and Peggy Pico
Being incarcerated for years is punishment for a crime. But it is not a lesson in how to live in society. Prison realignment has shifted the responsibility of parole from the state to the counties. So, programs that help former inmates transition back into normal life are more important now than ever.
The City Heights and Diamond neighborhoods are home to the largest number of people on probation in San Diego County. A program called Coming Home to Stay is for those coming out of prison and county jails. It helps them establish lives that work and lessen the chances that they’ll re-offend. A recent SANDAG report confirmed it’s working.