San Mateo County Approves Transferring Inmates From Overcrowded Jail To Alameda County
REDWOOD CITY (KCBS)— San Mateo County has approved spending $3 million to transfer inmates across The Bay to relieve jail overcrowding. Alameda County has more room in its jail than anyone else in the Bay Area and is already taking in more prisoners from around the state.
San Mateo County has struggled with overcrowding for years. The 688-bed men's facility has been holding 900 inmates. The women's 84-bed jail house has been holding 130.
Supervisors have given the sheriff permission to use funds to transfer some of the overflow to Alameda County at a cost of $125 a day per person.
Overcrowded San Mateo County Jail Sends Inmates To Alameda County
Alameda County Sheriff's Spokesman J.D. Nelson said they already have federal and state prisoners, as well as inmates from Solano and Monterey Counties, with room for 1,000 more.
The 2011 prison realignment put pressure on counties, boosting the local men's numbers by 10 percent and 40 percent for women who tend to be non-serious offenders and are ideal for state release.
