Sheriff Says Grant Won’t Solve Jail Overcrowding Issue

When it comes to overcrowding in jails and the urgent need for jail expansion in Riverside County, Sheriff Stanley Sniff holds nothing back.

“We’re in very deep trouble and have been for a number of years,” said Sniff.

At a capacity of just over 3,900 beds, the county’s jail system is overflowing with criminals.

So far this year, 700 have been released early.

And the sheriff says it’s a myth to believe they are only non-violent, non-serious offenders.

“About three-quarters of them have violent backgrounds. It’s just that’s not what they were convicted for or got caught beyond a reasonable doubt on,” said Sniff.

The sheriff’s department is getting some help by way of a $100 million grant from the state for jail expansion — which could mean another 1,200 beds.

The sheriff says the grant could resurrect talks of a new jail in the San Gorgonio Pass, but expanding the jail in Indio will likely be top priority.

“If the money is not available for a massive new structure that we desperately need, and the first phase has to be a smaller increment, then we would support the Indio jail expansion as the quickest and most effective way to utilize those funds,” said Sniff. “It’ll take more than $100 million to do it.”

But Sheriff Sniff says serious expansion is still years away, and he says until then, the torrent of early releases will continue.

“There are no good and bad choices. There all bad and worse choices, as far as picking people to come out early. We’re in that much trouble,” said Sniff.