Approximately five dozen inmates are now back on the streets

Representatives at the Stanislaus County Jail have confirmed that 60 inmates have been released in the past 10 days as the jail is planning a temporary closure of the inmate work quarters wing.

The decision to close that portion of the jail, they said, is directly tied to a staffing shortage.

The inmate work quarters, they said, were used to house detainees who were helping provide food services and janitorial work.

Corrections officials have said that the inmates who have been released had almost served out their sentences and were already eligible for an early discharge from the facility.

Jail now considering closing minimum security units

If the minimum security units are closed this could mean releasing more than 120 additional inmates in the upcoming weeks.

The underlying problem, they said, relates to training and retaining qualified deputies.  Many are being lured to other facilities who are offering better benefits and higher pay.

The Modesto Jail currently has 35 open deputy positions, they said, which is making it hard to staff all areas of the facility.

Approximately five more are scheduled to retire or take other jobs in the next few weeks and a batch of 11 new hires is still undergoing training.   They won't be available to take their posts until mid next month.

The work quarters will reopen once those deputies complete their training, they said, and they're hopeful to have that area back up and running by the end of June.

But despite the current staffing shortage, the Stanislas County Jail has plans to add bed space.  The county has plans to build a 384-bed facility at their Hacket Road complex.

Construction on the jail expansion is reportedly scheduled to reach completion in about two years.