Corrections Secretary Matthew Cate says realignment isn't perfect.  He acknowledges hearing "anecdotes" about crimes that might not have happened without it.  But he says realignment might prevent a lot of crimes too.

Cate: "I think there are also gonna be cases where we'll see crime victims that never were."

Cate told the Sacramento Press Club that county agencies are coordinating their efforts more effectively - and using their familiarity with each offender to help them find local services.

Cate: "Gosh, I'm sitting here talking about criminogenic needs and risk assessment and blah, blah, blah.  You're really still talking about a stable place to live, a job and sobriety as the key factors to making it in our society, period."

Cate says those factors - more so than the repeat offender rate - will help determine realignment's success.