Monterey County to benefit from jail overcrowding bill

Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill Monday that will help ease overcrowded conditions in county jails, like Monterey County, by extending the existing law to allow inmates to be transferred to other counties with adequate jail space for several more years.

The bill’s extension will allow transfers until July 1, 2018.

The measure, by Assembly Member Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay), received bipartisan unanimous support.

Currently, Monterey County transfers approximately 60 inmates to Alameda County to mitigate unsafe conditions due to overcrowding. This bill will give counties like Monterey more time to adapt to realignment policies and to develop space that will help make jails safer and programs that will help reduce recidivism.

In a news release, Monterey County Sheriff Scott Miller said, “this measure will help Monterey County bridge the time until our jail expansion project is completed, improving safety for inmates and staff while also freeing up space for improved programs to reduce recidivism.”