South Placer Jail

Construction

Placer County began construction of a new jail facility in 2008 after an assessment identified additional jail capacity as a need to address future growth. The South Placer location in the Santucci Justice Center is part of a larger, multi-year planned development to meet the needs of our county residents.

Phase one of the jail was largely completed in 2012. The building is approximately 200,000 square feet and has a rated capacity of 420 inmates. This phase includes a main jail and minimum security complex, kitchen and laundry facility, program services space, visitor and video visitation technology, medical services unit, intake / booking unit, and support services office space. The larger infrastructure currently in place was pre-planned to meet the needs of a larger facility as growth continues, cutting the overall costs of future bed expansion. The eventual build out of the South Placer Jail facility will be a 319,000 square foot facility with capacity for 980 inmates.

In 2011, long after jail construction had begun, the California Legislature enacted Realignment legislation (AB 109, 2011). By the time the new jail was completed in 2012, population impacts of Realignment were being felt in the Auburn facility’s Average Daily Population (ADP) and resulted in many inmates being released from custody. However, economic conditions across our nation had not recovered to an extent where sustainable funding was available to open the facility. This would change in late 2013 after many budget discussions and assessments regarding realignment, public safety and the overall health of our local criminal justice processes.

Operations

During the fiscal year 2013/2014, Placer County introduced a budget to begin operating the South Placer Jail. This phased opening includes a 4-pod housing unit at the South Placer main jail and two minimum security pods, for a starting capacity of 240 inmates. A gradual, further expansion of existing bed space is planned as sustainable funding becomes available.

Minimum Security Facility

As part of this multi-year approach, the Auburn Minimum Security facility has been closed down. The aging, World War 2 era facility met the needs of our county from 1983 to 2014, but is no longer cost effective, or safely viable as a detention facility.
Staff for the South Placer Jail includes Correctional Officers, Deputy Sheriff’s, support Services staff, and contracted medical and programs personnel. To off-set opening costs at the South Placer Jail, staff from the Auburn Minimum Security were transferred to the South Placer Facility when the older facility was closed.