Week in Review : COUNTYWIDE : The Search Intensifies for a Solution to Jail Crowding

The population of Orange County Jail went over its court-ordered limit three times last month, and U.S. District Court Judge William P. Gray ordered Sheriff Brad Gates back into court March 20 to explain.

But Gates began his explanation early. He called a press conference to lay out “the real facts on the jail,” denied criticism that he had done little during 12 years in office to alleviate jail overcrowding and assured law abiders that if forced to choose between violating the court order or releasing dangerous inmates, he would--probably--”come down on the side of the public.”

In 1978, Gray ordered the county to end jail overcrowding. Last year, the judge, dissatisfied with the county’s efforts, imposed specific limits. He said the jail must have no more than 1,500 inmates by last Jan. 15 and no more than 1,400 by April 1.

Gates said that of the 1,438 inmates in the county jail last Monday, only 212 were there for misdemeanor violations, and even 38 of those had “violent or assaultive backgrounds” or “extensive felony backgrounds.” He said alternate facilities already are jammed.

He said construction of a new intake/release facility for the jail that is now under way shows the county’s good faith in trying to abide by the court order.

County supervisors, who have felt the sting of a $50,000 fine for not providing enough jail space, ordered a report on whether a smaller new jail would be quicker to build.

For years, the board has been mired in trying to find a site for a 4,000-to-6,000-inmate jail that has no neighbors nearby to offend. Supervisors said they still wanted their staff to recommend a site for a large jail.