Supreme Court Decision anticipated to affect Calaveras County

With the Supreme Court upholding a lower court’s decision that California must reduce its prison population the Calaveras County Jail could find itself housing approximately 78 inmates that are currently incarcerated in California Prisons. The inmates targeted for housing in county jails are labeled as low-level offenders and will be serving a limited sentence within the County jail.
Sheriff Kuntz expects a 100% recidivism rate within that population of 78 inmates once released.

According to a retired law enforcement officer, there are four ways in which a low level inmate when released into society will react:

#1: assimilate back into society and become a productive member of society.

#2: violate parole

#3: miss scheduled parole meeting

#4: get arrested for a new offense

“Regardless the process, it is going to cost the County money, local law enforcement agencies will have to spend taxpayer’s dollars.” In #2 through #4, the re-arrested individual will by law have his day in court, incurring costs associated with court: judges, bailiffs, court recorder, court clerk, transport, investigators, defense attorneys, and possibly the District Attorney. If the individual is given a jury trial, “prolonging the court process, there is always an opportunity to appeal.” There will also be costs associated with the individual’s daily care: medical, dental, meals, etc, “equaling untold costs to the County.” The law enforcement officer also points out, “Don’t forget this individual was supposed to be in prison and a burden of the State” not the County.

If an inmate in released back into the local area, as opposed to being transported to the area from which he/she came, “They will commit a crime in order to get home. They only get so much gate money (money they receive upon release) and most often that is not enough for bus fare home. They will do a lick (a quick crime to gain cash) to fund their trip home.”

Based on the County’s mid-term budget, the Sheriff anticipates out of the 111 low-level Calaveras County inmates currently in CDCR…70% or 78 inmates will be transferred to the county and then be released from jail to participate in a number of treatment and supervision programs.  The Sheriff’s Office estimates that all 78 inmates will violate the terms of their release and serve a four month jail sentence.

The current cost to Calaveras County to house 78 inmates for four months is estimated at $714,963. The proposed reimbursement for the State transferred inmate would be set at a flat rate of $25,000 per inmate.

The proposed budget includes $3,500 per inmate for 18 months supervised/alternative custody funding and $2,275 in treatment and programming costs per offender.

When Captain Macedo of the Calaveras County SO was asked to put an approximate dollar amount on the 

cost to the county in conjunction with the anticipated 100% recidivism estimate, he stated, “There is no way to quantify the cost of the impact….It would be pure speculation until we had some time to assess those impacts after they have happened.” 

By, Charity Maness