Dear Supporter, A few weeks ago, CURB participated in an event hosted by Riverside All of Us or None at the Unitarian Universalist Church, discussing the impact of the state budget passing $500 million dollars for county jail construction and what it means for our communities in Riverside and San Bernardino. At the presentation we realized that residents are eager to know more about what is happening in our part of the state, so here is a quick round up of the expansion plans facing the Inland Empire. The city of Adelanto is facing a crisis. Currently the Adelanto Detention Center, plagued with a multitude of problems such as inadequate health care, preventable death, and lack of nutritious food, has the capacity to house 1,300 immigrant detainees, but has recently announced plans to add an additional 650 cages. If we don’t stop them, these plans will make this prison THE largest immigrant detention center in the country. If that wasn’t bad enough, Adelanto is also looking to build a 3,280-bed jail to contract with Los Angeles County to ease the overcrowding of its county jails. This project has an estimated $332 million price tag, for a city that is about to go bankrupt. Farther east, the East County Detention Center in Indio is attempting to expand their county jail. The Board of Supervisors approved a bond sale of up to $325 million earlier this month. Currently housing 325 prisoners, the new jail would hold up to 1,626 prisoners and is tentatively slated for completion in November 2016. Among other changes, the new jail would have video conferencing instead of in person visits. We are always looking to grow the movement against expansion and grow our Inland Empire voice! Do you know others who may want to get involved? Perhaps your family, neighbors, co-workers or faith-based community? |
 Vonya QuarlesAll of Us or NoneA member of Californians United for a Responsible Budget |
