Ventura County girds for inmates

Faced with the inevitable, a team of Ventura County negotiators is heading to Sacramento to determine how best to absorb an influx of state prisoners into local jails without threatening public safety or breaking the county’s budget.

On a 4-0 vote Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors authorized Sheriff Bob Brooks, Probation Director Karen Staples and County Executive Officer Johnny Johnston to find mutually acceptable solutions to overcrowding in the state prison system. The delegation is expected to make the trip to the state capital in the next few weeks.

A number of proposals being discussed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders involve transferring inmates to counties to relieve overcrowding in state facilities. Most of California’s 33 prisons are operating at nearly twice their capacity, and the state is under federal pressure to act.

Although few in Ventura County are thrilled with the prospect of absorbing up to 1,000 inmates, it makes sense to begin negotiating a favorable deal now, Brooks told supervisors.

“They are so desirous of finding counties volunteering to work with them that it may be worth our while,” Brooks said.

Ventura County could benefit by getting state dollars to expand the Todd Road jail near Santa Paula, Brooks said. More beds are needed there to deal with the county’s own lack of jail space, he said.

Several supervisors agreed that getting ahead of the problem would give them some control over where state prisoners would be housed and who pays for their incarceration.

“We either negotiate and see if we get something that is a good deal for us or get something shoved down our throat,” Supervisor Steve Bennett said.

The state’s most recent proposals include building more beds at existing prisons and constructing jointly with counties a number of “re-entry” facilities.

Those facilities would house up to 16,000 prisoners who have 12 to 18 months remaining on their sentences. Inmates would receive job training and other services to assist their return to society, Brooks said.

“When they get released from prison now, they get a bus ticket and a $200 check,” he said. “A re-entry program does cut down on recidivism.”

The state is also proposing to help counties expand jail space by providing 75% of construction costs. Those dollars could help Ventura County meet its own long-term need to expand, Brooks said.

Brooks and Staples said their top priority would be to make sure violent offenders serve their full terms. Early release of nonviolent offenders has been used by many counties, including Ventura, as a way to relieve jail overcrowding.

Staples said the team would consider resurrecting a county parole board that would allow eligible inmates to leave jail early.

Electronic monitoring of low-level offenders would also be reviewed, she said.

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catherine.saillant@latimes.com