CONREP

The Forensic Conditional Release Program (CONREP) is the California Department of Mental Health's statewide system of community-based services for specified forensic patients.

History
Mandated as a state responsibility by the Governor's Mental Health Initiative of 1984, the program began operations on January 1, 1986.

Details
CONREP patients are typically young males (77% are 18-44 years old) with severe mental disorders (66%) who have committed violent felonies (85%). Common ways for offenders to be placed in CONREP include:
 * Mentally Disordered Offenders can placed in CONREP by the Board of Prison Terms instead of the court.
 * Offenders found Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity can be placed in CONREP by filing a petition for restoration of sanity and winning at the hearing.
 * Offenders found Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity or Incompetent to Stand Trial because of a serious felony must spend six months in a state hospital before transfer to CONREP.

Prisoners can only be transferred to CONREP after being deemed no longer dangerous and released to outpatient status.

Difficulties
The ConReP programs have been under investigation by a variety of Federal and State agencies for abuse of it's patients. Ranging from food and housing problems, to falsifying of legal documents. The average patient may be in the ConRep program for 20 years, or even for the rest of their lives. The program has recently been in the news for it's treatment of convicted multiple sex-offenders.