Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Nicole Nishida told 17 News on Tuesday that L.A. County is considering sending inmates to empty correctional facilities in Kern County.Realignment of California prisons has placed added pressure on the county, forcing it to release some inmates early. Now, some local correctional facilities sit empty, waiting for someone to send inmates their way.
But, the inmates that do go there might be more likely to come from Los Angeles than somewhere in Kern County.
One location, the Shafter Community Correctional Facility, used to house state prisoners. But, since realignment, it has been empty.
Shafter City Manager John Guinn says he hopes that’s not the case for long. "We will use them. You know, they're not going to go to waste,” said Guinn. “They're going to get used in the state."
Guinn says he hopes the facility will be used to house Kern County inmates. But, if that can’t happen, he’s willing to let other jurisdictions, including L.A. County, rent space for its inmates in the facility.
“It would be nice if they were used here in Kern County, but if they're not, they're not,” he said.
But, Sheriff Donny Youngblood is hesitant to send Kern inmates to facilities like the one in Shafter as well as two more in Delano and Taft. He says those three locations, while they could ease overcrowding concerns, simply aren’t up to par.
“They don't have an infirmary. They don't have the mental health facilities. They don't have things that are required like chaplain services and law libraries,” said Sheriff Youngblood.
But, according to Guinn, L.A. County doesn’t feel that at least the Shafter facility would require the same sweeping (and expensive) changes that concern Youngblood.
“There have to be desks available to each of the inmates and that's a fairly simple fix within our facility,” said Guinn. “And, as far as I know, unless something new comes up, that's pretty much it.”
Youngblood says he doesn’t think Los Angeles County is interested in moving some of its inmates to Kern County.
“I'm telling you that I've spoken to the Undersheriff of L.A. County, and they assured me at this point they have no intention of buying beds in Kern County,” said Youngblood.
But, Guinn insists that talks between the Shafter facility and Los Angeles County are ongoing. “We're negotiating with L.A. County today. It's in progress, yes,” he said.
Sheriff Youngblood added, he wishes he could send inmates to facilities like the one in Shafter because it helps those communities economically.
Guinn estimated Shafter used to make $400,000 in profit annually when it ran a state prison at its correctional facility.
