[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6515220,"mediaKeyId","5019097-8ad1a5095d02bd4a62ee0ef587f0c274","parentId",5019097,"title","Senate committee advances CDCR director and associate director nominees after extended questioning on prison safety and women's facilities","audioSeconds",1166,"startMs",2125540,"endMs",3292010,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5019097-8ad1a5095d02bd4a62ee0ef587f0c274&start=2125&end=3292","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5019097-8ad1a5095d02bd4a62ee0ef587f0c274/thumbnail_2125540.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6515220/California/Senate-committee-advances-CDCR-director-and-associate-director-nominees-after-extended-questioning-on-prison-safety-and-womens-facilities","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6515220-52d8b2b3bf4d7137cfd2a0e171720224/orig.mp4?Expires=1771169677&Signature=kJmOtbjQ9AWW0oTRSPWYRFEgLKTgYR9l5Xj4PRJ4ViPMly3Q-~j2UlHblWz45IhaOd6o06B04yYs3O4DrAX49Z~y-lHsXTiQ8FFB-QRi3lBSODt9hwzp8bUPV9i6JR-jtt~0cReEMjyG4Qr0Zp5THnc0ZaBwU-EuH93ttTq6VUUSSky9Tv1tJbxvk3CHXRRsr76eMatCXbSBP~v9Iaurr5spATGZAlfQXN5HrDceab-ygdx7oTUOASI-TXayYShNaOh2AXz6BNdXQYQglNJlg~UqzQyBnGAhmkCexNlTRJqr3eeY-RnxHGFqXjbGz1LI2AEQBYTwDoL7kNAG4zkmOQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","California State Senate","date","2025-06-18T00:00:00Z","article","The California State Senate committee voted 5-0 June 18 to advance two senior nominations at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) — Gina Jones, nominee for director of the Division of Adult Institutions, and Brian Phillips, nominee for associate director for Region 3 — sending both to the full Senate for consideration.

Both nominees described long careers in corrections and emphasized safety, rehabilitation and staff support as priorities. Jones, who identified herself as representing the director and described decades of CDCR experience, told the committee she is “deeply committed to the mission of CDCR, ensuring to provide a safe environment for all while giving opportunities for rehabilitation and self growth.” Phillips said his goal is “for staff and incarcerated persons to be safe and to get a positive experience out of their journeys as employees and incarcerated people.”

Senators pressed the nominees on several operational issues. Questions centered on how the department plans for facility closures and staff transitions, the causes of a recent surge in violence and contraband at multiple institutions, restrictions on visitation and phone privileges, and specific safety problems at women’s prisons including Chinchilla (Central California Women’s Facility).

On proposed facility closures, Jones said the department is evaluating needs and infrastructure and seeks to place staff in other positions rather than lay them off. She described communications with staff and use of peer support and employee assistance programs during transitions. She added that population declines have led to closing wings of institutions rather than entire facilities in past actions.

Regarding an uptick in violence and contraband, including overdoses tied to synthetic cannabinoids (referred to in testimony as “spice”), Jones said modified program status and temporary restrictions allow the department to conduct thorough searches and remove weapons and contraband. She called the level of violence “out of control” in some institutions and said the department is prioritizing searches and measures to protect staff and incarcerated people.

Committee members raised repeated concerns about safety at women’s prisons, including reports of staff misconduct and sexual violence. Jones said the department is focused on providing confidential reporting channels and using body-worn cameras and audio-visual surveillance (AVSS) where available to gather evidence and protect both staff and incarcerated people. She noted CDCR works with outside advocates and organizations — including Sister Warriors and the ombudsman’s office — to expand safe reporting options.

Senators also asked about a recent pair of murders of visitors at one institution and whether policy changes or additional safeguards are needed for family visiting. Jones said the department reviewed the file and did not find policy violations by staff in the approvals that allowed those visits; the murders are under investigation by the district attorney’s office. She said perpetrators were moved to restricted housing pending further investigation and that criminal prosecution and administrative sanctions are possible.

Public testimony at the hearing included more than two dozen supporters of Jones and Phillips, many from the Anti-Recidivism Coalition and other rehabilitative program partners. Supporters described the nominees as hands-on leaders who had supported rehabilitation programs and community partnerships.

The committee recorded a roll-call vote of 5-0 (McGuire, Grove, Caballero, Jones, Laird) to forward the nominations to the Senate floor.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Rules Committee","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate committee voted 5-0 to advance Governor Newsom’s nominees for director of the Division of Adult Institutions and an associate director, after lengthy questioning about prison closures, rising violence and safety at women’s facilities.","taxTitle","California State Senate, Senate, Legislative, California","taxId",77650,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6515225,"Senate committee advances Board of Parole Hearings executive officer nominee after questioning on fairness, interpreters and drug-test review",1928,69600,1997950,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5019097-8ad1a5095d02bd4a62ee0ef587f0c274&start=69&end=1997","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5019097-8ad1a5095d02bd4a62ee0ef587f0c274/thumbnail_69600.jpg","/articles/6515225/California/Senate-committee-advances-Board-of-Parole-Hearings-executive-officer-nominee-after-questioning-on-fairness-interpreters-and-drug-test-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6515225-27a1c823d7bbddf9eca834ddf5c9f2e5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771169677&Signature=PyGTMnByf~oDSQXWuRhUMNbys-NznPe2lfC0utNeevqIMh~f6EwnRGq6uN4bDkRCUVH-LjXyEhpiSnYHLsOr2wNnWduFPwhtCqNBxxP0Pq27aTZSXJhQIU1qUN3PzU4tQ9IKOhAe1QUdnTc8t9dNr9NGS1Bn8e2vxfsX-8ySwcDAU8Jump5IMq68y0MtdK8YMbCkzsl5dP2BcyLmLS4Bz38S714vcRxRKM5KZBFENzF0KvXaEcuN9-0Yvc9rGoBOg7x9gjfzuQgW9ZWrKxENNvbJafk9gbDvy-4t~lIAczcCntvowHsD7yRuLAjIasNbJXu2ThcciNrZhOlQpnkjWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The California State Senate committee voted unanimously June 18 to advance the governor’s nominee for executive officer of the Board of Parole Hearings to the full Senate.

The nominee, Mr. Wyckoff, told the committee he has spent three decades in public service and pledged to emphasize “fair, transparent, and respectful” parole hearings. He said he will continue observing hearings, expand transcript review and work with stakeholders to provide feedback to commissioners.

The committee’s questions focused on how the executive office supervises commissioners, how complaints and training are handled, and a recent problem involving drug-test results for people in the medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program. Wyckoff told senators he has personally observed hearings by “over half our commissioners” and described a transcript analysis program in which attorneys review hearings and report on commissioners’ performance.

Wyckoff described the board’s approach to balancing public safety and rehabilitation: “I have always tried to be fair, transparent, and respectful,” he said, and said he supports giving people who have been rehabilitated an opportunity for release while also using a structured decision-making framework to promote consistency.

Committee members pressed Wyckoff about procedures for addressing commissioner misconduct. When asked how complaints would be handled, he said the office would review transcripts, investigate specific allegations, and meet privately with commissioners to explain expectations and address problems.

Wyckoff also addressed a spike in positive drug-test results tied to changes at an outside laboratory. He said the board launched a systematic review beginning March 29, 2024, of decisions involving people in the medication-assisted program where a positive test “may have been a substantial factor” in denial of parole or a petition, and that the agency is scheduling new hearings or reconsiderations where warranted. He said the apparent spike was temporary and that positive rates have “gone back to what the historic levels have been.”

On language access, Wyckoff said the board contracts with interpreter agencies and provides interpreters both for incarcerated people and for victims and families when needed. He acknowledged a shortage of panel attorneys who speak Spanish and said the office is seeking ways to increase the number of attorneys who can represent non-English speakers rather than rely solely on interpreters.

Public commenters who supported the nomination described Wyckoff as experienced and empathetic. Margaret Gladstein said she had known him for many years and called him “a man of the highest level of integrity and ethics and empathy.”

The committee recorded a roll-call vote of 5-0 (McGuire, Grove, Caballero, Jones, Laird) to advance the nomination to the Senate floor.

Wyckoff’s nomination now goes to the full Senate for confirmation consideration.","The California State Senate committee voted 5-0 to send the governor’s nominee for executive officer of the Board of Parole Hearings to the Senate floor after the nominee described steps to ensure fairness, training and review of disputed drug-test results.","actionData","errors"]

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Senate committee advances CDCR director and associate director nominees after extended questioning on prison safety and women's facilities

Senate committee advances Board of Parole Hearings executive officer nominee after questioning on fairness, interpreters and drug-test review