Orange County Continues $750 Million Phased Jail Expansion

SANTA ANA, Calif. — Orange County supervisors approved a $250 million proposal to expand capacity at the 1,256-bed James A. Musick jail by 2,000 beds.


Under the proposal, the county will seek $100 million in state funding for the 2,000-bed, first phase of the expansion, which will upgrade the facility from minimum- to medium-security.


Phase one of the plan would also modernize detention and administrative facilities and streamline jail operations at the 100-acre facility, officials say. Phase two would increase capacity at Musick to approximately 4,400 beds. The phased expansion and renovation proposal could cost about $750 million, according to official estimates.


The $100 million in state funding is tied to the systemwide expansion of rehabilitation space and programming in the county. As part of the deal, officials will add more than 290 re-entry beds at the almost 3,000-bed Theo Lacy Facility, which is located in the City of Orange.


An existing agreement between the city and the county stipulates population levels at the Theo Lacy jail will not be increased beyond 2,986 inmates, officials say.


The county’s inmate population increased by approximately 25 percent during the 10 years up to 2007 and a sheriff’s department analysis estimates that the county will need to add more than 3,200 beds by 2011 to meet the projected inmate population of almost 8,300.