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Yahoo!In late November, reports circulated that three women had been released from the County Jail close to midnight one evening. There were no public buses running at that hour, so the women were forced to walk a dark and dangerous Calle Real to find their way back to downtown Santa Barbara. It’s a scenario experienced by many inmates, and one that has the attention of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department and the loosely organized Homeless Coalition, a group of nonprofits and individuals that advocate for the homeless and less-fortunate.
Paul Wellman
A woman calling herself "J" has walked this lonely road many times after being released from the County Jail. Now six months sober, she hopes she will never again run afoul of the law. J hopes community groups and sheriff's authorities figure out a way for inmates to be safely released from custody after business hours.
“We’re trying to develop a transportation system, perhaps a voucher system for taxi cabs, so that people aren’t left walking down the street in middle of night,” said Gary Linker, executive director of New Beginnings Counseling Center. Linker and John Buttny of the 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness have been meeting with the Sheriff’s Department to find a solution to the late-night releases. It’s actually an issue the Homeless Coalition has brought up in the past.
During the morning and afternoon hours, inmates are taken to court hearings. A judge will order someone to be released, but by the time he is bused back to the jail, paperwork completed, and personal belongings returned, the day is drawing to a close. The inmate must be turned loose before the clock strikes midnight.
“Legally, we cannot hold them,” said Jim Peterson, the chief deputy in charge of custody operations. “This is a big issue in the community; we are trying to do everything safely and at the same time legally. We’re open to any solution.”
Peterson said inmates, especially females, are told they may stay in the jail lobby overnight, to wait for the morning when they can catch a bus. Deputies will also make phone calls to find friends to come pick up the freshly released.
In the case of the three women who set off this latest round of community concern, Peterson said the women told the clerk they had secured transportation, that someone was coming to give them a ride. “They wanted to be released,” he said, “then they alleged we threw them on the streets.”
Both Linker and Buttny acknowledge the population they are trying to help presents complex challenges. They are anxious to get away from the jail, so sleeping in the lobby is not appealing. And some of them need a drink or a fix — badly. Some are mentally ill. Most are homeless.
Paul Wellman
A street light shines at County Dump Road on a dark stretch of Calle Real
Moonlight releases are emerging as only a small part of a larger problem: How can inmates receive counseling and guidance so that they go from the criminal justice system to a support system? New Beginnings provides a partial answer with its “Jail Prevention Program.” Counselors conduct seminars in the jail, working with inmates to identify the factors that got them in trouble in the first place. Then they develop an action plan to prevent them from returning. Currently, New Beginnings only has funding for males, but wants to expand the program to females and Spanish speakers.
“The biggest factor is alcohol and drugs,” said Linker. “Either they committed crimes to get drugs, or they were under the influence when they committed crimes.”
Paul Wellman
Into the darkness at the intersection of Calle Real and County Dump Rd.
The federally initiated 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness is meant to be comprehensive, and, as Buttny points out, a large percentage of the jailed inmates are homeless or have trouble finding affordable housing on their obviously limited incomes. A stable housing situation helps the person maintain employment, adhere to sobriety programs, and connect to mental health services.
Buttny commends Sheriff’s Department officials for recognizing the need for pre-release services, and for their offer of office space in the County Jail complex for a social worker. Ultimately, lifting people out of a self-destructive lifestyle will be cost-effective.
“The recidivism is so expensive,” said Buttny. “People continually cycling through, going ‘round and ‘round, is crazy.”
Double-clicking on any word or phrase in this story will open a reference window with definitions and links to other reference material.
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Oh poo poo. I have a great idea, don't get arrested and then you won't have to worry about going home from jail!
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El_Informador (anonymous profile)
December 21, 2008 at 10:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sentences to jail expire on the first minute of the day not at sun up.
The jail has not legal right to keep the inmates longer.
Tell it to the judge to change the sentences.
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taz (anonymous profile)
December 21, 2008 at 1:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If you ask me, the evil people in the world are those that suppose they are on the side of God that have no compassion, and that think they have all the answers. If you people think that someone in your family will never run afoul of the law, then you are truly on the side of the devil.
Shame on you.
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susie (anonymous profile)
December 22, 2008 at 8:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's ironic the article that is just above this one. You might find it beneficial to read. You never know who might end up in jail and why. Compassion and a change in the way the jail handles their policies seem to need to be addressed.
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JenniferinSB (anonymous profile)
December 22, 2008 at 8:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/articl...
Link to previously written comment.
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JenniferinSB (anonymous profile)
December 22, 2008 at 8:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As the brother of an alchoholic I say that one of the largest reasons for the high recidivism rate is that society doesn't discourage the use of drugs and alchohol among addicts and the freed inmates. My thinking is there should be mandatory drug and alchohol testing before any welfare check can be issued and mandatory drug and alchohol testing (not just the threat) for anyone on probation. Society is the addicts largest enabler.
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Gordo (anonymous profile)
December 22, 2008 at 9:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We should stop locking up non-violent criminals who commit victimless crimes. What a waste. What an insult to humanity.
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loonpt (anonymous profile)
December 22, 2008 at 10:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Some of these comments are ridiculous. I know one of the women involved. Not everyone on the streets is a criminal. Glad that this is being looked into.
Folks, homelessness is a complex issue. Get involved yourself and you will find out.
Thumbs up for the compassionate replies.
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syncman (anonymous profile)
December 22, 2008 at 11:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"wants to expand the program to ... Spanish speakers."
Why? What is the problem with deportation? We have to counsel them in Spanish now? -AShaw-
AShaw: I suppose this is a rhetoric response but as you probably know, it's easier to go along with the herd than it is for these people to think. They have already dug themselves in deep with their "bilingual" idealism so rather than admit their failure they simply continue to further the linguistic divide by providing the linguistic crutch of bilingual services. Apparently these people feel that while every other immigrant group can learn English, they feel Mexicans aren't. Any wonder why "self esteem" is such an issue among "Latino/at-risk" youth?
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billclausen (anonymous profile)
December 25, 2008 at 4 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Now onto the main issue: Gordo makes a good point about how our culture doesn't discourage alcohol use. Santa Barbara is so sickeningly hypocritical in this area it defies description. S.B. is very anti drugs and the "Dare to keep kids off drugs" D.A.R.E. program stickers are everywhere, along with the ancillary anti-drug propoganda, but there are so many bars in this town that the booze is practically flowing down the lower state street gutters.
Santa Ynez/Solvang is getting the same way with its pretentious "wine tasting" nonesense. All booze, all the time. At one end kids are told "Drugs are bad" all the while they see mom and dad swilling away.
I'm not advocating prohibition, but when booze is glorified, it doesn't help the problem. Add to that the fact that since the 60's our culture has descended into a full-scale rebellion against the morals that once held our society together. Even if you don't believe in a God who holds us accountable for what we do, (which I do) a simple, secular, anthropological look at where our society has been going will reveal that the baseline structure of it has fallen apart, giving way to the mainstreaming of social ills. In short, unhappy people turn to booze and drugs. Add to that a city run by clueless people who oversee this without providing the infrastructure to deal with the mess that they enable.
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billclausen (anonymous profile)
December 25, 2008 at 4:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Apparently these people feel that while every other immigrant group can learn English, they feel Mexicans aren't"
I meant to say "Apparently these people feek that while every other immigrant group is smart enough to learn English, they feel Mexicans aren't smart enough to do so".
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billclausen (anonymous profile)
December 25, 2008 at 4:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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