California county jails were designed to hold inmates for sentences of a year or less. Recently, however, more than 1,100 inmates inside the jails are remaining for longer periods of time, leading to a lot of difficulties.

County sheriffs have to face many challenges because of the large number of long-term inmates serving time in county lockup. This number is only going to grow in the upcoming years, which will cause more difficulties.

Sheriffs must provide treatment programs, education, recreation and rehabilitation to inmates in addition to maintaining adequate housing space. This only drives up the costs that many counties are struggling to afford.

According to a recent report, the most common crimes for inmates sentenced 5 to 10 years are drug trafficking, vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, commercial burglary and identity theft.

The legislative director of California’s State Sheriffs’ Association has said that county jails are not made to handle inmates for such a long period of time. The living conditions are not created for that purpose.

Thirty-five percent of long term inmates are being held in the Los Angeles County Jail. Forty-four inmates have received sentences of more than ten years. One inmate is serving a 43-year sentence for trafficking a large amount of drugs.

Last month, the Sheriffs’ Association found that more than 1,100 county jail inmates are serving sentences of five years or more. Most sentences are for drug trafficking offenses. A Solano County inmate is serving over 10 years for serial theft and a Riverside inmate 13 years for felony child abuse.

Many inmates who are sentenced to at least five years will be released early. For instance, inmates with good behavior can be released after 2 ½ years instead of remaining the whole five years.

More and more long-term inmates will continue to be sent to county jails as state prisons strive to comply with the governor’s realignment plan and the federal court’s ruling that they must reduce the prison inmate population.

Before the realignment plan went into effect, the only inmates who spent more than a year in jail were those waiting for trial in complicated cases, like murder.

Long term inmates represent less than two percent of the 77,000 inmates that can be sent to a county jail, but they come with higher costs than short-term inmates and more need for attention.

With the state trying to reduce the number of state prisoners, it is unlikely that county jails will see a decrease in the number of long-term inmates. Counties were given a portion of $500 million authorized for renovations and expansions of jails in order to prepare for the influx of inmates.

Counties continue to look for new ways to accommodate long-term inmates, like building new facilities or contracting with an outside facility that is equipped to handle this type of inmate. Judges may also reduce sentences so that inmates spend less time in jail or split sentencing to include jail time as well as county supervision.

While this situation is not ideal for the counties, they are working to comply with the state’s demand to reduce prison populations through realignment rather than early release.

Source: California County Jails House 1,100 Long-Term Inmates

Published:  03/10/2013