Idea of Handing Jail Administration Over to Private Operator Is a Bad One

A logical location for the new Orange County jail would be at the Tustin Marine Corps Air Station, which is scheduled to be closed in two to three years.

It will soon be available!

It is free! In this area of fantastically expensive land and limited county finances, this is a major factor.

This central Orange County location is ideal. It is near the present jail and courthouse and has room for future expansion of jail, courthouses (overcrowded now), plus room for future federal, state and county buildings for which there will be a great need in the future in this area of rapid growth.

The southwest corner of MCAS Tustin is at the corner of Red Hill Avenue and Barranca Avenue, far away from present military housing on the base, which the Marines will want to retain. There is no civilian housing nearby, just commercial buildings. This southwest corner of the MCAS Tustin is an excellent location for the jail.

The present barracks on Red Hill would give immediate minimum-security housing for prisoners, helping Sheriff Gates relieve overcrowding while the new large jail is built.

Orange County should acquire all the land made available by the Marines, and then turn the rest of it into a large county park that can serve the needs of this growing area. The two large old historic dirigible hangars have been designated as historic structures and cannot be torn down; therefore, they could be used for museums, conventions, etc.

The newer, smaller hangars could also be converted quickly into temporary, “makeshift” jail housing for which there is a critical need now.

Planning and fund raising to build the new jail and county park should start immediately. Construction could start soon as this area is farthest from base operations and housing.

Putting money in a distant San Diego jail is exorbitantly expensive, wasteful, and may leave us unable to build the new jail at any Orange County site.

KERWIN W. JACOBS, Santa Ana