By Imran Ghori
The Press Enterprise
ADELANTO, Calif. — San Bernardino County’s Adelanto jail will be tripling its size in a project slated to begin later this year, thanks to an infusion of $100 million in state funds.
The project will add 1,368 beds to the 700-bed facility, helping to ease crowding at jails throughout the county.
County officials approved agreements with the state last week to receive the funds and promised to contribute an additional $31.3 million to complete the project.
A construction contract is scheduled to be awarded in December and the work is expected to be completed by June 2013.
County officials said the expansion would ease crowding at San Bernardino County’s four jails, which have a capacity of 5,700 beds.
“The expansion of the Adelanto jail is essential to make sure criminals are not released back onto the streets as a result of overcrowding,” said Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt, in a statement.
The funds were made available as part of a $1.2 billion jail construction bill approved by the state Legislature in 2007.
San Bernardino County was recommended for the funding in 2008, ranking on the top of the 14 counties approved.
One condition is that the county must provide property for state prisoner re-entry facilities, which provide education, vocational training and medical treatment to prisoners nearing parole.
In June, county officials approved a 22.6-acre site in Apple Valley next to the High Desert Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center for a re-entry facility.
The county also has promised to make water and road improvements at the site, which will house 500 inmates and be run by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
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