County Officials Looking to Save Money on New Jail

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Officials in Riverside County are weighing different options for a proposed facility that would alleviate overcrowded conditions at county lockups.

A plan put forth by the sheriff’s department calls for construction of a 3,000-bed hub jail, which would come with an $873 million price tag. Funding for the project would necessitate a quarter-on-the-dollar sales tax increase, a cause for deliberation among county board members.

An alternative plan, proposed by a county supervisor, is the construction of a 5,000-bed modular facility, which would consist of precast concrete cells. In a partnership between the public and private sectors, a private company would build and finance the $150 million structure and then lease it to the county.

Officials estimate that construction of the modular facility could be completed in 18 months, compared with the proposed six years for the hub jail.

The sheriff’s department has long advocated expansion of the county jail system, which currently houses 3,200 inmates.