Building a Safer Pico Rivera Through Successful Reentry Programs

For too long, community safety was discussed almost exclusively in terms of policing and incarceration. But data from across California increasingly tells a different story: communities that invest in prevention, housing, and reentry support see lower rates of repeat offenses and greater long-term stability. Pico Rivera is not immune to the pressures of recidivism — but it has the tools, the organizations, and the community will to address it differently.

California's 2026 Medi-Cal Reentry Initiative represents a landmark shift in how the state approaches incarceration and public health. Under this initiative, individuals who are 90 days away from release from state prison or county jail can begin enrolling in Medi-Cal — ensuring continuity of healthcare, mental health services, and substance use treatment from the moment they re-enter the community. For Pico Rivera residents returning home, this means access to the medical infrastructure that makes recovery and stability possible. But Medi-Cal enrollment alone is not enough. Housing, employment, and community connection are still essential — and that's where PDLA comes in.

Research from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows that individuals who secure stable housing within 30 days of release are significantly less likely to return to incarceration within three years. Employment plays a similar role: returning citizens who find steady work within 60 days of release have recidivism rates roughly half those of their peers without employment. These are not small margins. They represent real people who, given a genuine opportunity, choose a different path — and communities that, as a result, become measurably safer.

Padres De Los Angeles serves returning citizens in Pico Rivera and Montebello with the same dignity and care we extend to all community members. We provide food assistance so returning individuals can meet basic needs while re-establishing themselves. We offer job-readiness support — resume help, interview preparation, and connections to local employers who are open to giving second chances. We assist with housing navigation, helping returning neighbors understand their options and avoid the motels and shelters that often become traps rather than bridges. And we offer human connection — which, for many people returning from incarceration, is the most important resource of all.

The cost of incarcerating one person in California averages over $100,000 per year. The cost of the housing, food, job support, and mentorship that prevents reincarceration is a fraction of that amount. Every dollar invested in reentry support — through organizations like PDLA — returns multiple dollars in reduced public safety costs, less burden on the justice system, and more productive community members. This is not a soft argument. It is an economic and public safety case for investment in the people our systems have historically written off.

Whether a returning neighbor succeeds or returns to incarceration is not solely their individual choice. It is a community decision. When we provide housing, food, employment, and connection — when we say 'you belong here and we want you to succeed' — we are building a safer, stronger Pico Rivera for everyone. Padres De Los Angeles is committed to being part of that decision, every day.