News

New jail expansion opens two years later than projected

The $26 million facility can hold 72 inmates identified as non-violent, non-sexual, and non-serious offenders.
Retired Sheriff Curtis J. Hill (left), who the facility is named after, and outgoing Sheriff Darren Thompson, cut the ribbon to open the building. Photo by John Chadwell.
Retired Sheriff Curtis J. Hill (left), who the facility is named after, and outgoing Sheriff Darren Thompson, cut the ribbon to open the building. Photo by John Chadwell.
The 24,000-square-foot facility will house 72 long-term inmates. Photo by John Chadwell.
The 24,000-square-foot facility will house 72 long-term inmates. Photo by John Chadwell.
Sheriff Darren Thompson officiated the ceremony and introduced former Sheriff Curtis Hill. Photo by John Chadwell.
Sheriff Darren Thompson officiated the ceremony and introduced former Sheriff Curtis Hill. Photo by John Chadwell.
Retired Sheriff Curtis Hill became a lobbyist for law enforcement and negotiated a better deal for the county in obtaining state money for the facility that bears his name. Photo by John Chadwell.
Retired Sheriff Curtis Hill became a lobbyist for law enforcement and negotiated a better deal for the county in obtaining state money for the facility that bears his name. Photo by John Chadwell.
The newly formed Sheriff's Honor Guard
The newly formed Sheriff's Honor Guard "presented the colors" in the flag ceremony. Photo by John Chadwell.
Sheriff's Honor Guard raises flags in front of the new facility. Photo by John Chadwell.
Sheriff's Honor Guard raises flags in front of the new facility. Photo by John Chadwell.
Capt. Don Bradley oversaw construction of the facility. Photo by John Chadwell.
Capt. Don Bradley oversaw construction of the facility. Photo by John Chadwell.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Curtis J. Hill Rehabilitation Center expansion of the San Benito County Jail took place June 15. The new facility will house 72 long-term inmates from the state prison system who require more medical and psychiatric care. The old section holds 142 inmates.

Expectations were high in December 2018 that the 24,000-square foot expansion would be completed by the following spring. At the time, Adam Goldstone, San Benito County capital projects manager, told BenitoLink if there were no delays the $26 million project would be completed by May 2019, and double the size of the jail as a minimum-security facility.

As it turned out, there were delays, cost overruns and a pandemic that pushed the ribbon-cutting to June 15, which some at the ceremony thought appropriate because it was the same day the state officially opened up after 15 months of shutdowns due to COVID-19. However, jail personnel and inmates must continue to wear masks for the time being.

During the ceremony, active and retired sheriffs, Hollister police officers, Highway Patrol personnel, former and current county supervisors, and even retired Superior Court judge Thomas Breen, were present as outgoing Sheriff Darren Thompson officiated.

Thomson introduced several speakers, including his predecessor Curtis J. Hill, whose name is on the side of the building. He told the audience the expansion was necessary because of the 2011 California law AB 109, which capped prison populations to ease overpopulation and resulted in nearly 40,000 non-violent, non-high-risk sex offenders, and non-series offenders being sent to county jails.

AB 109 also provided partial funding for jail construction, which the county took advantage of and received $15 million. But the county was required to come up with 10% of the cost for the project. In 2011, Hill, who had retired and become a lobbyist, negotiated with the state to lower the rate to 5%. Because of escalating construction costs, what was to be a $13 million project quickly grew to $17 million. By the time the facility doors opened, the final cost was $26 million, according to Capt. Don Bradley, who oversaw the construction.

Bradley, who served 29 years at the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office and seven years with SBC Sheriff’s Office, oversaw the project and said it was a “14-year commitment.” He said the building includes a new booking area, administration office, medical and dental unit, a training and briefing room, and a public lobby and video visitation room.

Bradley said the purpose of the facility is to provide “more beds for more clients with more needs who are sentenced to longer terms.” He said AB 109 was the state’s response to federal judges ordering it to provide more medical and psychiatric care while reducing overpopulation in state prisons.

“As a result, thousands of inmates were relocated to county jails and the term non-non-non, or non-violent, non-sexual, non-serious, was given to the first wave sent to county jails instead of state prisons,” he said, adding, “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one of those. These inmates come with longer sentences and increased needs for medical and psychiatric services.”

He said the intent of the facility is to give inmates skills they can use to better themselves socially and economically.

“To accomplish this requires programming, education and counselling aimed at assisting our clients to succeed at life outside of custody, or in many cases as an extension of custody where they report to transition centers to continue or enhance programs they started while in custody,” he said.

None of the 72 inmates have arrived yet. Capt. Eric Taylor, who was appointed sheriff and coroner and will take over the office June 27,  told BenitoLink they are expected to start arriving in August.

 

Other related BenitoLink articles:

Jail expansion nears completion, more prisoners return to county

County awards $25 million jail expansion project; state to pay $20 million

 

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John Chadwell

John Chadwell is a freelance photojournalist with additional experience as a copywriter, ghostwriter, scriptwriter, and novelist. He is a former U.S. Navy Combat Photojournalist and is an award-winning writer, having worked for magazine, newspapers, radio and television. He has a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications from Chapman University and graduate studies at USC Cinema School. John worked as a scriptwriting consultant, and his own script, "God's Club," was produced and released in 2016. He has also written eight novels, ranging from science fiction to true crime, which are sold on Amazon. To contact John Chadwell, send an email to: [email protected]