Lassen County Sheriff Press Release –
The California Police Chiefs Association (CPCA) and the California State Sheriffs’ Association (CSSA) today expressed strong opposition to the Legislature’s proposal to close another California state prison as part of the 2026-27 budget package.
Over the past decade, California has dramatically reduced its prison population while shifting increasing responsibility for long-term incarceration to county jails. As a result, local correctional systems now house inmates for years at a time, face ongoing overcrowding pressures, and absorb substantial legal, operational, and fiscal burdens that were never intended to fall on local governments. Despite these challenges, the state has already closed multiple correctional facilities and continues to reduce available prison capacity.
Joint Statement from the California Police Chiefs Association and California State Sheriffs’ Association:
“California cannot continue shrinking its prison system while expecting county jails to absorb the consequences. Local jails were never designed to house inmates for years at a time, yet counties are increasingly forced to manage long-term offenders, overcrowding pressures, costly litigation, and significant operational burdens. Closing another state prison without a comprehensive assessment of future correctional needs risks further straining local governments, reducing flexibility during emergencies, and shifting even more costs and responsibilities onto communities already carrying an outsized share of the burden. Public safety decisions should be driven by long-term operational realities, not short-term budget calculations.”
The associations urge the Legislature and Governor to reject any additional prison closures at least until a comprehensive review of state and local correctional capacity, long-term incarceration trends, and the impacts on county jail systems can be completed and considered.
California Police Chiefs Association
California State Sheriffs’ Association
The burden this continues to place on our rural facilities is upsetting and frustrating coming from the State Capital. Such closures have a lasting and permenant impact on each of us as we know in Lassen County.
We are working with law enforcement partners statewide to prevent more closures and relocation of offenders from the state to the counties.
Sheriff John McGarva
