One prison expansion off; two moving forward
| Sunday, Sep 27 2009 02:54 PM
Last Updated Sunday, Sep 27 2009 02:56 PM
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The state has called off an expansion of Tehachapi's state prison to relieve overcrowding but still plans to add onto prisons in Wasco and Delano.
State and federal officials determined that some Assembly Bill 900 funds identified for infill beds need to be spent on healthcare beds instead, said Deborah Hysen, chief deputy secretary of facility planning, construction and management at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
The federal courts have mandated that California bring medical care in prisons up to constitutional standards. A receiver is overseeing the work.
The corrections department was looking at constructing one or two new 500-bed, high-security units at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi, but has had to drop those plans.
The decision kind of "evolved" over the last six months, Hysen said.
Expansions planned for Wasco State Prison and Kern Valley State Prison in Delano still are "very viable," Hysen said, with the latter further along in the planning process.
Groundbreaking at Kern Valley is about 1 1/2 years out; Wasco's more like 2 1/2 years out.
Here's the latest breakdown of what each project entails, according to corrections officials:
The approximately $210 million Kern Valley expansion would take about 35 acres, and include:
* Five celled housing units that could shelter about 930 inmates. The influx would bring the total population up to approximately 6,900 inmates.
* Buildings for program support and rehabilitative services; health care; and a visiting area.
* Other elements such as perimeter guard towers, fencing, recreation yards, parking lots, roads and wastewater facilities.
* More staff. The prison has approximately 1,620 employees; the project would add about 490 more people for a total staffing of approximately 2,100.
The approximately $440 million Wasco expansion would use about 110 acres, and include the following facilities:
* Two facilities for Level IV or maximum-security inmates, totaling 1,900 beds at maximum capacity. The influx would bring Wasco's inmate population to nearly 7,900 men.
* Buildings for central administration services; facility program support services; health care; family visiting; academic and vocational training.
* Other elements such as perimeter guard towers, fencing, recreation yards, parking lots, roads and wastewater facilities.
* More staff - as many as 800 people, which would bring the prison's staffing level of 1,680 to approximately 2,480 employees.
The expansion in Tehachapi could have been good for the city because inmates are included in its population count and that would generate more money, said City Councilman Stan Beckham. And the prison employs a lot of people, he said.
Councilman Ed Grimes said he's glad the expansion's off because Tehachapi's already concerned about its water supply and has "done our fair share in terms of housing prisoners."
