Gates Disputes Grand Jury on Jail Expansion

Sheriff Brad Gates on Wednesday strongly disputed the findings of a recent grand jury report, which questioned the county’s plans to expand the James A. Musick Branch Jail in Irvine.

The grand jury concluded that converting Musick from a 1,000-bed minimum security facility to a 7,000-bed jail handling some high-security inmates could strain the county’s budget and might not be needed. The jury also questioned whether Gates’ projections for future jail needs are on target.

But in a detailed response, Gates said more jail beds are crucial to reduce severe overcrowding in county jails that results in the early release of thousands of inmates a year.

Gates has cited a new study by the Department of Justice that found Orange County to have the most overcrowded jails per capita in the country, topping even urban centers Los Angeles and New York.

The department estimates that it will need a total of 10,911 jail beds by 2006, based on a study completed in 1987. The grand jury said the study might be out of date and did not take into account the recent drop in Orange County’s crime rate.

But Gates defended the report’s accuracy and noted that the “three strikes” law and other efforts to crack down on repeat offenders has actually increased demand for jail beds.

The grand jury report suggested that some of the early release of inmates is not caused by overcrowding and would occur even if more jails are available. Gates disagreed, saying his department would keep inmates behind bars for their full terms even if their crimes are relatively minor or nonviolent.

The Musick jail expansion is opposed by many nearby residents but has the support of the Board of Supervisors. No money is available for the project, which would begin only after the county completes an expansion of the Theo Lacy Branch Jail in Orange.