FRESNO, Calif. (KMPH) -
A landmark bill signed into law now allows Fresno County to move prisoners to other jails instead of letting them out due to overcrowding.
But Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims says a lot of details still need to be worked out.
But she does say it will give here more options.
It's called SB 1023.
And this past month, Governor Jerry Brown signed it into law.
The bill allows county jail administrators to move prisoners to a designated jail anywhere in the state, instead of being forced to release prisoners due to overcrowding.
Sheriff Mims says although the realignment of inmates has forced more early releases, she also plans to open the two empty floors of the jail later this year.
She says that will cut down on those releases.
She says 864 beds will also be added to the current capacity of the Fresno County Jail which stands at 2,500.
Sheriff Mims says, "It makes sense to me it would be the long term sentences inmates those that need to be taken to court right away, because the transportation costs are huge."
The sheriff say it costs less than 60 dollars a day to house an inmate inside the county jail, but to house an inmate elsewhere it can double, plus you must factor in transportation costs to court.
Just recently, the Federal Marshall's moved some 200 prisoners out of Fresno down to Kern County's Jail, because it's cheaper.
Sheriff Mims says, "The good thing about that is it gives us more room for our local arrestees, the bad thing its lost revenue. However having the room is very important."
