Advantages of New Jail Site

I am amazed at the emotions generated over the selection of the jail in Anaheim. For years we in Orange County have condemned the liberal courts for allowing too many criminals to walk the street and pushed for longer sentences and more jails. Now when the funds are available, the local politicians are screaming: “Don’t put it in my area.”

I live about 1 1/2 miles from the proposed site. I’m a frequent visitor to Anaheim Stadium and the restaurants in the neighborhood. I really can’t see what insurmountable problems it will create by putting up a new building, next to the freeway, that replaces a garbage transfer station.

I remember how it looked around 5th Street in Santa Ana before the jail was built in the ‘60s. The exterior of that building is very attractive, and the focal point to what is now a large Civic Center. In 20 years, I can only recall a few jailbreaks, and I’m sure the escapees didn’t stay around the area very long.

The traffic a jail will generate can’t be much worse than the large trash trucks that came and went all day, and I rather doubt that anyone will stay away from Disneyland or a Rams game because there’s a jail in the same city. Be reasonable.

The only losers I see are the developers of another high-rise that we may or may not need. There shouldn’t be any tax loss because the property isn’t on the tax rolls now anyway.

Build the jail--just don’t make it a gold-plated Hilton.

GEORGE BOAL

Orange