Agenda 8-a - Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 23 will cost more now than it would have then. He said he understands Chair Dorosin's point, and as such, he is not in favor of 144 beds, but more inclined towards 128 or 136. He said he does not have really strong feelings, and would err on the side of frugality. He said he would like to recognize the County's efforts towards permanently reducing the levels of incarceration, and whatever size building is made the courts will adjudicate accordingly. Commissioner Rich said she does not think that building the larger facility now is ignoring the values of keeping people out of jail. She said the dental clinic is a perfect example, and she is comfortable with 136 or 144 beds, but not any lower. Commissioner Jacobs said the jail will be expandable by pods, and the Board can send a message to the community about its values by erring on the side of building lower than the projected jail construction numbers. Chair Dorosin said he is not convinced that it is more fiscally responsible to buy more than is needed. He gave an example of solid waste, noting that buying a landfill that is larger than necessary sends a counter message towards recycling efforts, etc. He said it is not unreasonable to connect the policy to the construction decisions. Commissioner Price said the money being saved could be put towards treatment and diversionary programming. Chair Dorosin asked if staff is expecting the BOCC to make a decision tonight. Bonnie Hammersley said the Board does not need to vote, but each Commissioner can send her an amendment for the number they chose, and the Board will vote on June 12t ". She said the Board can vote this evening, if it so chooses. The Commissioners reviewed the capacity with which they are comfortable: Commissioner Burroughs: 136 Commissioner Marcoplos: 136 min Commissioner Rich: 136 min Commissioner Price: 128 max Commissioner Jacobs: 128 Chair Dorosin: 128 Commissioner Marcoplos said if the Board voted for 84 beds, would it really affect the County's approach to diversionary programming. Chair Dorosin said it is possible, but 120 is likely the lowest possible number given the projections that are before the Board currently. He said the County should have a goal of never filling the detention center. He said the overall average daily population has been in the 80s for several years. Commissioner Marcoplos said the County can always have a goal, but no one really knows what the general population will be in 2060. Chair Dorosin said 144 and 136 beds is an overbuild based on the projections before the Board tonight. Bonnie Hammersley said the larger build does not take the diversionary policies into account, but when considering jails a Sheriff is responsible for the custody of the inmates, but a Sheriff is also on the back end of the system. She said what happens at the Board level affects what happens at the Sheriff level. She said all stakeholders are working together, and what happens in the court system is the main driver behind how full a jail will be. Chair Dorosin said it needs to be big enough to avoid frequent situations of overcrowding. Commissioner Price said the criminal justice system is a criminal injustice system, and people are incarcerated more frequently and with greater longevity than is necessary. She said Orange County can be on the forefront of changing these trends.