On October 20, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on the proposed $167 million North Branch Jail replacement design — a decision that will affect our county and its public funds for decades. Community members can submit written comments to the Clerk of the Board before the vote.
The proposed design would bring the County Jail system to 880 beds, including six new 64-bed housing units (or 384 beds). All six would be constructed to hardened high-security standards, even though people in jail are classified as needing high-, medium-, or low-security housing.
Our CLUE/League of Women Voters Criminal Justice Workgroup recommends moving forward with only four housing units while pausing approval of the remaining two until updated data justify their need.
First, how many jail beds will actually be needed?The average daily jail population declined by 141 people, from 790 in July 2025 to 649 in September 2026. Yet the proposed design has not been reduced. An updated independent population projection from county expert Mike Wilson should reflect recent declines and changes in diversion, treatment, and court practices that are leading to the steady reduction of incarceration and are likely to reduce the jail population further.
Second, how many people actually need high-security housing?The public has not received the requested September average daily counts of people classified as high, medium, and low security. These numbers are essential to evaluate the proposed design.
Third, why build all six units to high-security standards?A comparison of one 64-bed medium/low-security housing unit with a hardened high-security unit could clarify differences in construction and staffing costs, access to education and treatment, reentry opportunities, and flexibility for future uses.
The sheriff emphasizes flexibility within the proposed design, but all six housing units would still be constructed to hardened high-security standards, regardless of residents’ actual security classifications. The question is whether medium/low-security housing units could provide greater flexibility, better access to rehabilitation, lower construction and operating costs, and more effective reentry programs that reduce returns to jail and improve public safety.
Stanislaus County offers an alternative model, with both secure detention and a separate minimum-security rehabilitation and reentry facility. Its 2024–25 Civil Grand Jury reported lower recidivism among participants completing the REACT program, although building design alone cannot be credited for those results. Why not compare one 64-bed lower-security housing unit with the proposed hardened design, including costs, program access, and rehabilitation outcomes?
A $167 million public investment deserves transparent population data, security-level counts, and a comparison of design options before the county approves the design. Our community deserves a jail system designed around demonstrated needs, public safety, effective rehabilitation, and responsible use of public funds.
We encourage our community to make their voices heard before the October 20 vote.Email your comments to the Clerk of the Board at sbcob@countyofsb.org by 5 p.m. October 19. One email reaches all five supervisors.
