JAIL MAY NOT SEE PROP. 36 SAVINGS LAW A SMALL DIVERSION OF
INMATES

Big savings in jail costs touted by advocates of Proposition 36 could
prove elusive in Orange County after the initiative takes effect Sunday.

Backers of the measure told voters that requiring drug offenders to
receive treatment instead of jail time would save counties $50 million
a year. That translates to about $4 million for Orange County.

But after spending $103 million on jail operations in the fiscal year
that ends today, the Sheriff's Department expects to spend $107
million in 2001-02.

A key reason: The department only expects a decline of 3 percent to 5
percent in the 5,000 prisoners it houses.

It will not have that huge an impact,'' said Assistant Sheriff Rocky
Hewitt, because many offenders have other charges pending or criminal
records that make them ineligible for Prop. 36.

County officials also note that many misdemeanor drug offenders were
already being diverted from jail.

They also expect about 40 percent of Prop. 36 offenders to fail
treatment and end up behind bars.

Talk of a minor decline in the county's jail population prompted
disbelief from the group behind the Yes on 36 campaign.

Five percent is the lowest figure I've heard,'' said Whitney Taylor of
the Drug Policy Foundation in Sacramento.

Nevertheless, the foundation gave Orange County good marks for how it
has prepared for Prop. 36.

Only two of the state's 11 largest counties did better than the B
grade given Orange County.

County health and probation officials say they've lined up sufficient
rehab facilities to treat the 4,500 drug offenders they expect to
qualify for Prop. 36 in the next year. For other counties, that has
been the biggest problem.