On Sept. 16, officials from three counties let out sighs of relief after the Paso Robles City Council conditionally approved construction of a state-run re-entry facility on land adjacent to the Paso Robles Municipal Airport.
The council voted 4-0, with Councilman John Hamon absent, in favor of building a 500-bed facility to rehabilitate inmates from San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and San Benito counties. The council gave its support on the condition that, within six months, the city, state, and counties come to an agreement on several facets of the facility’s operating systems and corresponding impacts.
The decision was made just in time for a Sept. 18 deadline, when officials from all three counties were scheduled to go before a panel representing the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The panel conditionally approved funding to San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties—approximately $25 million and $56 million, respectively—in exchange for building the re-entry facility.
The funds stem from Assembly Bill 900, also known as the Public Safety and Offender Rehabilitation Services Act of 2007. The legislation aims to reform the state corrections system by earmarking government grants for counties that agree to build re-entry facilities.
The new facility is set to provide prisoners with job training and life skills during their final year of incarceration. The facility and its programs will be based on the newest prison model from the state corrections system.
In its decision, the Paso Robles City Council wanted to ensure that certain needs of the city are met, namely, that inmates originally from Santa Barbara and San Benito counties would be transported back to their home communities. City officials also wanted to ensure inmates from San Luis Obispo County wouldn’t all end up living in Paso Robles upon being released.
At the Sept. 16 city council meeting, Mayor Frank Mecham asked state officials to explain why the city should allow the construction of the facility. The officials explained that the re-entry facility would provide jobs, enhance public safety, and generate economic growth.
The facility will be built at the site of the now defunct Estrella Correctional Facility. The boys’ school was shut down earlier this summer because of budget cuts and changes to the state correctional system.
This article appears in Sep 25 – Oct 2, 2008.