The plan will also demolish Main Jail North and possibly Elmwood Correctional Facility
In a major decision years in the making, Santa Clara County will move forward with a $390 million new jail, despite public outcry from criminal justice reform activists who argued the facility will not increase public safety or address the widespread issue of mental health and drug addiction.
“This is a reminder that Santa Clara is not as progressive when it comes to criminal justice policy than many residents think they are,” said David Ball, a law professor at Santa Clara School of Law and a vocal opponent of the new jail. Ball was one of over a dozen law school professors and deans from surrounding universities who penned a letter to the county supervisors asking that they vote against the jail project.
County Executive Jeff Smith pushed for the new jail, arguing in part that facilities at Main Jail South and Elmwood are substandard. He also said that the overall cell count of the county will be reduced with the new site, from roughly 4,000 today to 2,000 after Main Jail North is razed and Elmwood’s future is reassessed.
“Though I am disappointed I wasn’t able to persuade my colleagues to join me in opposing the construction of a new jail, there were a lot of wins for our County today,” Ellenberg said in a statement. “We are going to continue to work towards alternatives to incarceration.” “Our jail system is broken,” a woman who identified herself as Edie Washington said during public comment. “No charts or stats will change that fact.”
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