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League of Women Voters of California

LWV California Education Fund Nonpartisan Analysis of

Proposition 205

Youthful and Adult Offender Local Facilities Bond Act of 1996

Legislative Bond Act

The Question

Should the State of California borrow $700 million through the sale of general obligation bonds to construct, renovate, remodel, and replace local juvenile and adult detention facilities?

The Situation

Statewide, more than 50,000 juvenile offenders are under the supervision of county probation departments. They are detained in juvenile halls, or housed in ranches and camps. Adult offenders are housed in county jails. Almost all facilities are overcrowded. Since 1981, the voters have authorized the state to sell about $1.6 billion in general obligation bonds to raise money to expand and improve county jail facilities; and since 1988, voters have authorized the sale of $100 million in bonds for juvenile facilities. All of this money is fully committed for various projects.

The Proposal

Proposition 205 would:
  • authorize California to borrow $700 million through the sale of general obligation bonds to construct, renovate, remodel, and replace county juvenile and adult detention facilities.
  • direct that $350 million be deposited in the 1996 Youthful Offender Local Facilities Bond Fund, and that $350 million be deposited in the 1996 Adult Offender Local Facilities Bond Fund.
  • require that counties provide 25 percent in matching funds.
  • require counties to develop a long-term plan that provides appropriate services for juvenile and adult offenders.

Fiscal effect: The Legislative Analyst says that if the bonds were sold at an interest rate of 6 percent, the cost would be about $1.25 billion to pay off both the principal ($700 million) and the interest ($550 million). The average payment for principal and interest would be about $50 million per year. Counties will incur increased costs to operate additional facilities constructed with these funds. Additional operating costs are unknown, but could be millions of dollars annually.

Supporters Say

  • Proposition 205 is needed to build and improve local jails and juvenile halls because most existing facilities are already overcrowded.
  • California's "three strikes" law puts violent career criminals in jail for longer, making more facilities necessary.

Opponents Say

  • "three strikes" locks convicted felon in state prisons, not in county jails; non-violent convicts should be placed under house arrest and monitored electronically.
  • throwing another $1.2 billion at the present failed system won't make our streets safer--we need alternatives.
(Analysis prepared by the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund.)
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Last updated: October 28, 1996
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