Fifteen counties in California will divide a half-billion dollars to build jails that can house long-term inmates. Locally, Butte County was conditionally awarded $40 million for its jail expansion project, according to the Chico Enterprise-Record.
The Board of State and Community Corrections awarded the funding Thursday. Corey Salzillo of the state Sheriffs’ Association says current facilities weren’t built to provide the necessary care.
“Without the right buildings, the missions of rehabilitation, decreasing recidivism are difficult if not impossible to achieve,” Salzillo said.
Since the 2011 prison realignment, counties have held lower-level offenders formerly incarcerated in state prisons.
Protesters filled the meeting room. Hafsah Al-Amin is the wife of a former death row inmate.
“The intent and the plan is more people to go into the jails,” she said. “We need people out of the jails, we need people to have support and that can only happen if money is given to the communities.”
The Legislature authorized the $500 million in bonds last year.
This story was produced by Capital Public Radio.