Inside The Jails

There's been a lot of back and forth about what lies ahead for the yet-to-be-built Indio Jail.

For one, if a person is arrested and winds up being held there, their only visitation with friends and family members will be via video conferencing.

And although that's a change that's being implemented at detention centers throughout the country, what's new for this particular facility is that inmates will likely have access to all sorts of training programs.

Offsetting overcapacity

The Riverside County Jail system, like others in the state, have been dealing with growing pains brought on by inmate overcrowding.

As it stands, the county is granting early release to thousands of inmates for no other reason than not having enough space to hold them.  When the new Indio Jail is complete in 2017 the expansion will add nearly 1,280 beds, bringing Riverside's total capacity up to 5,187.

Yet county officials realize that more has to be done and they understand the best way to address jail crowding involves finding ways to keep inmates from reoffending.

That's where the educational programs come in.

One classroom will be solely focused on culinary programs, while others will help detainees study for their GED.  Jailers agree that rehabilitation is a key component of keeping people from winding up back in the system.

If they have the tools that will help them get a job and integrate back into society, it will be win not only for inmates' families, but for the jails and for taxpayers as well.

Construction for on the $274 million jail has not yet broken ground but is expected to commence before the close of the year.

Source: Indio: New jail would have classrooms, video visits | by Jeff Horseman, Press Enterprise