Up to 80 Inmates to Leave Jail Early

In response to overcrowding at the main jail in Ventura County, sheriff’s officials said Friday that up to 80 inmates would be freed early.

After receiving authorization from the presiding judge of Ventura County Superior Court, sheriff’s officials Friday freed 11 female inmates from the jail on Victoria Avenue in Ventura.

More releases were expected this weekend and during the next month, said Chief Deputy Kenneth Kipp.

Sheriff’s officials blamed the overcrowding on massive under-funding by the county Board of Supervisors.

Many of the released inmates will be women, Kipp said, citing overcrowded conditions at the main jail caused, in part, by the recent closure of a women’s jail in Ojai. On Friday morning, before the releases, there were 211 female inmates at the main jail but only 200 beds, Kipp said.

Up to 10 more female inmates were expected to be incarcerated late Friday, and officials were anticipating numerous arrests during the three-day holiday weekend. That could lead to several more early releases today or Sunday, Kipp said.

State law allows Sheriff Bob Brooks to release inmates early because of overcrowding. The inmates are released a maximum of five days prior to their scheduled release, and only those convicted of misdemeanors are eligible. The crimes can include multiple convictions for drunk driving, spousal abuse and second-degree burglary.

“We have to have some escape valve to deal with this increasing inmate population,” Kipp said.

Male inmates at both the Ventura facility and the Todd Road Jail in Santa Paula number under 1,200, Kipp said. There are 1,400 beds available for men, and male inmates can be shuffled between the two facilities while women must be housed in the Ventura jail.

The last time overcrowding occurred at the main jail was in 1994, prior to the opening of the Todd Road Jail, officials said. Sheriff’s officials also blame funding cuts for the elimination of dozens of positions, police storefront operations and drug and community policing programs.