Public Safety

Room In SD County Jail For Inmates, But No Money

By Joanne Faryon / Investigative Reporter

Published May 25, 2011 at 3:00 AM PDT

This story was published more than 12 years ago.

Bill Gore

Room In SD County Jail For Inmates, But No Money

San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore said he expects an influx of inmates into his jails over the next two years, but it will be a "disaster" unless they come with additional funds. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday California must reduce its state prison population by more than 30,000.

Sheriff Bill Gore said there is room in San Diego County jails for more inmates, but not enough money to house them.

Gore's comments follow a Supreme Court decision earlier this week ordering the state to reduce its prison population because of overcrowding.

There are about 4,500 inmates in San Diego County jails right now. And there’s room for another 1,000, according to Gore.

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But Gore said he can’t take in any additional inmates unless they come with additional money.

“This is a disaster waiting to happen unless it’s properly funded,” Gore said.

Under a new state law many convicted criminals who once were sent to state prison, may now be sent to county jail. The law excludes those convicted of violent crimes, serious crimes and sexual offenses.

Gore said he expects his jails will see an influx over the next two years as the state attempts to reduce its prison population.

“That’s what we’re negotiating now is how much money is going to come with these inmates.”

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According to the sheriff’s website, the average daily of cost of an inmate in county jail is $137. That’s a little more than the cost of a state inmate.

Public Safety

Joanne Faryon

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As an investigative reporter, Joanne Faryon worked with the team of journalists at inewsource, a nonprofit journalism enterprise embedded in the KPBS newsroom. Faryon has more than 20 years of experience as a journalist, working in a print, radio and TV. She previously worked in Canada and the U.S., specializing in investigative reporting. During her time at KPBS, Faryon served as reporter, host, and producer for both TV and radio. Among her many stories and investigations is the 2010 look into the effectiveness of the Whooping Cough vaccine. The series of in-depth features lead the Centers for Disease Control re-examine their reporting and change their guidelines. Faryon’s work has been honored by the USC's Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism with the Walter Cronkite Award for political journalism. The prestigious honor was for the Envision special, “Who’s Supervising San Diego?” – an in-depth look at the County’s Board of Supervisors. Faryon has also received an honorable mention from the National Press Foundation in 2010 for an in-depth look at the state's prison system as part of the Envision series. In addition, Faryon has earned two regional Emmys and several awards from the San Diego Press Club and the Society of Professional Journalists. Her Canadian honors include a Manitoba Human Rights award for meritorious service for her investigative work on the Ku Klux Klan and right-wing extremism in Canada. Joanne has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Winnipeg and a creative communications diploma from Red River College.

See stories by Joanne Faryon

KPBS News: Public Safety Policy

KPBS has created a public safety coverage policy to guide decisions on what stories we prioritize, as well as whose narratives we need to include to tell complete stories that best serve our audiences. This policy was shaped through months of training with the Poynter Institute and feedback from the community. You can read the full policy here.

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