The Sheriff’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Jail Overcrowding released its final report and recommendations at the Board of Supervisors meeting today in Santa Maria.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Jail Overcrowding was convened in April, 2007 by Sheriff Bill Brown. The Commission consists of individuals from a broad cross-section of the County – geographically, professionally, politically, and representing a diversity of perspectives and experience.

The charter of the BRC was: to research the current jail overcrowding situation; to recommend solutions, both long term and short term; and to build support for the Commission’s recommendations with the Board of Supervisors and the public.

The Commission advocates utilizing a blended approach with six key recommendations:
1. Increase jail system capacity by building a 300-bed jail facility in the north county; 2. Invest in prevention, intervention and recovery programs that address key factors contributing to crime and imprisonment; 3. Invest in new and enhance existing community corrections programs; 4. Invest an initial $5.8 million per year in jail overcrowding prevention funding (for recommendations 2 and 3); 5. Establish a Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) to focus on criminal justice system issues that may reduce jail overcrowding; and 6. Pursue and implement strategies to pay for these investments.

The purpose of the report is to provide the Board of Supervisors and citizens of Santa Barbara County with an overview of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Jail Overcrowding findings and recommendations regarding jail overcrowding.

“My hope is that the Board of Supervisors and citizens of Santa Barbara County will support the Commissions recommendations. Effective short term and long term strategies need to be adopted and funded now,” Brown said. “This situation is not going away and the longer we wait to address it the more expensive the solutions get.”

The Blue Ribbon Commission on Jail Overcrowding Final Report and Recommendations is available online at: www.sbsheriff.org