The LA County Board of Supervisors has come to an agreement with regard to the demolition of Men's Central Jail.  They have not set a firm timeline that outlines any of the specifics.

One thing is for certain.  More information is needed.  A consultant has been hired to determine whether the current inmate population can be safely reduced.  If there are not any viable alternatives to incarceration a replacement jail will need to be built.

This could cost taxpayers millions. The LA County Sheriff's Department estimates the price tag could span upward of $1.67 billion.  The supervisors said they need to evaluate whether such a massive and expensive structure is needed and/or whether they could replace the Men's Central Jail at a lesser cost.

Opponents of the plan have staged demonstrations.  They feel that monies being spent on construction, staffing and incarceration would be better spent on education, job placement and job creation programs.  Poverty and lack of employment helps create criminals, they said.

One protester said their purpose is to let elected officials say they 'no' to new jails and 'yes' to more community service programs.

The idea that the Men's Central Jail needs to be replaced is not a new one. Upkeep of the half-century old facility is expensive.   Electrical and plumbing components are old and frequently need to be repaired.  Another challenge lies in the way the building is laid out.

Deputies have said they do not have direct-sight access to many of the cells.  This poses a safety risk to both inmates and staff members.

The LASD is proposing a three-prong jail construction approach.  The first involves building a minimum-security woman's village at the Castaic Jail.   They are also hopeful the county will allocate funds to build a treatment center for inmates who suffer from mental illness.

The county said they will continue to explore less expensive options.  One of these includes the potential renovation of the Mira Loma county jail in lieu of building a mental illness detention center. The women's village would still be on the table.

A second option is to renovate Mira Loma, construct the woman's village and build a mental health facility.  This plan would have the greatest cost.

The ACLU has reportedly spoken up against each of the above stated courses of action. He joins those who feel that a better solution involves reducing county inmate populations.   Some could be placed on probation, others could be monitored via GPS device.  Others still could be sentenced to serve their time in fire camps.

The sheriff's department said they are considering the problem from all angles.

They have said that even if alternatives to incarceration are able to reduce inmate populations by as many as 4,000 inmates, which they see as a pipe dream, that this wouldn't justify the closure and non-replacement of the Men's Central Jail.