Los Angeles County has done a notoriously poor job of spending state money to curb criminal recidivism and divert nonviolent felons from jail. That's its choice — counties have the discretion to spend the money on arresting, jailing, treating, educating or diverting offenders — but for too long the Board of Supervisors chose poorly, spending too little on proven programs to treat rather than jail mentally ill and addicted offenders and to help prevent newly released inmates from committing new crimes after they return home.
In recent months, things have changed dramatically. Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey last week presented a blueprint for treatment of the mentally ill, and the supervisors meanwhile have moved forward rapidly on programs to provide enough services to give people leaving jail or prison a better chance to avoid going back.