MILPITAS (KCBS) – Governor Jerry Brown’s proposal to cut corrections costs by sending non-violent prisoners to county jails, rather than state prison, is worth discussing, said a Santa Clara County jail official, but only if the price is right.

Santa Clara County Jail Captain Toby Wong said he has 1,800 empty beds available right now, many of them at the Elmwood Jail Facility.

KCBS’ Tim Ryan Reports:

”Our operating costs would be about $100, (for the extra prisoners) and so for compensation for 30 people per day, it doesn’t really pan out well for us,” said Wong.

The governor has said that the state can save $486 million each year on adult offenders, and more on juveniles.

”They need to review what they are actually willing to pay, because right now state parole provides us about $71 per day for inmates in one of our drug programs,” said Wong.

The annual amount that the state pays for violent juvenile offenders is $200,000.

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