DELANO, CA-- Nearly 600 state prison inmates are getting their first night's sleep in the Delano Community Correctional facility as the CCF reopened for business Tuesday. In addition to housing 578 inmates the reopening will create 114 jobs in a community suffering from double digit unemployment.
The CCF was closed in 2011 when low-level offenders were sent to county jails instead due to prison realignment. Bakersfield Assemblymember Rudy Salas says opening correctional facilities like the one in Delano will ensure prisoners serve their time.
"Rather than putting prisoners back into our community and our local streets what we are going to do is make sure we are housing them here," Salas said.
Some of the new features the correctional facility has added to house level two and three inmates is a double security fence with motion detectors and more security cameras. Also, under state guidelines, only so many inmates may be housed in living quarters.
"64 inmates is the maxim that can be in a day room, " said Mark DeRosia, Delano Chief of Police.
The facility is due to be running at full capacity by the end of the month and Delano is actively staffing 89 permanent positions and 25 support positions to meet that goal.
"If there are individuals looking for a position I would encourage them to apply," said Salas.
With the correctional facility re-opening officials estimate it will pump about $56 million into the local economy over the next four years.
The CCF was closed in 2011 when low-level offenders were sent to county jails instead due to prison realignment. Bakersfield Assemblymember Rudy Salas says opening correctional facilities like the one in Delano will ensure prisoners serve their time.
"Rather than putting prisoners back into our community and our local streets what we are going to do is make sure we are housing them here," Salas said.
Some of the new features the correctional facility has added to house level two and three inmates is a double security fence with motion detectors and more security cameras. Also, under state guidelines, only so many inmates may be housed in living quarters.
"64 inmates is the maxim that can be in a day room, " said Mark DeRosia, Delano Chief of Police.
The facility is due to be running at full capacity by the end of the month and Delano is actively staffing 89 permanent positions and 25 support positions to meet that goal.
"If there are individuals looking for a position I would encourage them to apply," said Salas.
With the correctional facility re-opening officials estimate it will pump about $56 million into the local economy over the next four years.