Kings County wants regional re-entry prison

Convicts nearing the end of their terms and getting ready to re-enter civilian life in Kings, Fresno and Madera counties might soon find themselves in a single regional rehabilitation prison -- in Kings County. The site remains undetermined. So far, it's a toss-up between Corcoran and Hanford, although officials say Hanford is more likely to get it. "The state wants to keep the re-entry facility in Hanford because it's meant to be a regional facility and Hanford is less distant from other areas," said Rebecca Campbell, county management analyst. "We have to work with cities and the state to make sure we have a viable site. Corcoran is still a possibility, but it may not be the first site we choose."

With a handful of potential sites in their hands, county officials are on the fast track to winnow down the most viable locations for a 500-bed facility. Last week, state officials descended from Sacramento to inspect some of the potential sites the county had identified.

County officials have until mid-September to submit three potential locations to the state, which will later select a final location.

Potential sites include 20-plus acres on the east and west sides of Koinonia Church on Hanford-Armona Road, 10 to 15 acres on 10-1/2 Avenue south of County Community School, 13 acres at the corner of Highway 43 and Lacey Boulevard next to the SPCA. The Corcoran site is within prison property.

Although concerns aren't widespread, reactions are mixed among local officials as well as residents. Hanford and Corcoran are cooperating with the county, but Lemoore declined to do so. There are also not-in-my-backyard arguments springing up from some neighbors in Armona as well.

Strings attached

Kings County wants to house one of California's first so-called "re-entry" facilities intended to help inmates who want to go straight before going back into society.

In exchange, the county will get $30 million in funding to expand its overcrowded jail. Officials also say it could be an economic boon to the area.

The concept of these re-entry facilities is to give inmates who are serving the final year of their sentence and demonstrate the desire to leave a life of crime, the job training and substance abuse treatment they need to succeed before they are released.

"Right now, when a guy gets released to go on parole, they are given $200, a bus ticket and get sent out," Supervisor Jon Rachford said, making a point that inmates are currently released back to their communities whether or not they are rehabilitated. "This will reduce the recidivism rate, reduce our exposure to crimes committed by parolees and lower the jail population."

California has the nation's worst re-offense rate with nearly two-thirds of offenders returning to prison within three years, according to a 2005 study by UC Irvine. The re-entry facility is the state's latest attempt to fix the problem. According to state statistics, a total of 518 inmates from Kings County are eligible to be released on parole.

For Kings County, the re-entry facility means money as well.

Officials say it's a one-time funding opportunity -- possibly the only chance in the foreseeable future -- to expand its jail.

"Clearly this was set up as an incentive for the county to assist the state with locating a re-entry facility, which on its face has a merit anyway," said Larry Spikes, county administrative officer. "But if you throw in $30 million, which we competed for and successfully got, that's something that really makes it worthwhile in our estimation."

The county has twice proposed a half-cent sales tax increase, but it failed both times. The county managed to build the first phase of the new jail, but capacity remains inadequate.

Because of jail overcrowding, those incarcerated in Kings County serve 51 percent of their sentences on average, Campbell said.

The $30 million funding would add 170 beds to the existing 361 beds.

"This is the only game in town in the foreseeable future to get the next phase of the jail built," Spikes said.

AB900

In April 2007, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB900, a prison reform bill that calls for building 40,000 new prison beds including 16,000 beds in so-called "re-entry" facilities, generally smaller, community-based prisons with an emphasis on rehabilitating inmates so they have a better chance of making it in the outside world.

The bill also calls for 13,000 new beds in local jails, raising hopes for counties like Kings, whose year-old jail is too small to hold most of those sentenced to serve time there.

Kings County was one of three smaller counties awarded their full requested amount. Ten similarly sized counties were vying for the money. Officials say the county's willingness to secure a location for a regional re-entry facility gave it priority consideration.

County officials say the facility would bring 300-plus state jobs, and be an economic boon for the county.

Reactions

Two of the potential re-entry facility sites sandwich Koinonia Christian Fellowship Church on Hanford-Armona Road and 13th Avenue.

Church leadership sees it as a positive.

"We have thought about it. Obviously, the decision hasn't been made yet," said Andrew Cromwell, Koinonia's executive pastor. "We see it as a potential for us being able to further service our community. If they come in, we would embrace them."

Cromwell acknowledges some church members do have some concerns.

"Not everyone feels very excited about the idea, because there's lack of clarity and lack of information," Cromwell said.

The church has a plan to build a preschool on the site. The re-entry facility won't be an issue as long as it remains a lock-down facility, Cromwell said.

County officials, too, assure it is a secure facility.

But Teresa Gonzales, a nearby resident and a Koinonia member, is still worried -- even after hearing facts about the re-entry facility.

"I'm concerned they're going to put it near my home," Gonzales said. "They are making it sound like it's not a big deal, but it is for us."

The state says the program has proven to work in other states. Gonzales remains skeptical.

"The concept of it sounds great, but in reality I think a very small percentage of people actually change," Gonzales said. "I'm just afraid of the problem it's going to create for us and our children. I'm afraid their families would move to the area and these inmates would settle down here when they do get out."

County officials say that's not the case.

By law, parolees are sent back where they lived last, officials say. And Fresno and Madera being so close to Kings County, they believe there's little motivation for the families of the inmates to move to the area.

Gonzales' sister, Elena Anzoleaga, has also been vocal about her concern.

"I'm not against people getting help," Anzoleaga said. "I just don't understand why it has to be so close to where people live when there's plenty of county space here."

Local jurisdictions' reactions have been mixed as well.

City councils and Hanford and Corcoran have welcomed the potential siting of a re-entry facility in their communities with open arms, but the Lemoore City Council has turned it down.

Mary Hornsby, who was among the council members who opposed the facility coming to Lemoore, said it was the locations that raised concerns, not the concept itself.

"As far as Lemoore was concerned, I had issues with the locations they had pre-selected," Hornsby said.

One of the locations Kings County was looking at was near West Hills College and the other on Houston Avenue near a potential site the school district was looking at for a future elementary school, Hornsby said.

"I just didn't feel placing it near an elementary school would be ideal," Hornsby said.

Hanford city officials see the re-entry facility in the community as positive.

Councilman Dan Chin said he supports the fact Kings County is receiving $30 million to expand its jail and brings high-paying state jobs to the area through the re-entry facility.

Councilwoman Marcie Buford supported the philosophy behind the re-entry facility.

"We're not adding population to our area. If there's a way for these inmates to get job skills, there's a good likelihood that they'd be productive citizens. It makes a lot of sense not just for their life, but also for the economy."

While the state wants some political coverage through local jurisdictions' blessings, it has the ultimate say in the choice of location.

The state has rejected sites in Avenal and Corcoran as unsuitable because of a Valley fever epidemic in those areas. But it has since lifted the restriction on the Corcoran site after the county asked for reconsideration.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2429.