At a TEDx event at San Quentin State Prison Robert Barton talked on "How to Fix Our Broken Criminal Justice System". After having worked with hundreds of prisoners, victims of crimes, and correctional officers and administrators, California's Inspector General has a pretty good idea of what's broken and why in our prison system.
Robert Barton is responsible for oversight of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, including critical incidents, internal affairs, complaints, medical care, use of force, and other legislatively requested reviews. He chairs the California Rehabilitation Oversight Board reporting and making recommendations on rehabilitative programs for inmates and parolees.
He began his public service with the Fresno Sheriff’s Department in 1984, while completing his B.S. in criminology at CSU-Fresno. He graduated from UC Davis King Hall, with his JD in 1988. He then served as a prosecutor in the Kern County District Attorney’s Office and from 2000-2005 supervised the gang, prison crime, juvenile and truancy units. He was then appointed as a Supervising Assistant Inspector General in 2005, before being appointed in 2011 as the Inspector General. He holds a lifetime Community College instructor credential in law.
| “ |
We need to change the way we use our prisons, the way we have our prisons function, so that people come out better when they leave not worse. |
” |
