Are closing California prisons a solution for county jail crisis? Some prison guards think so.

"California began placing some convicted felons in county jails in 2011, after the Supreme Court ruled that the overcrowding in state prisons resulted in cruel and unusual punishment. Now, according to the lawsuit Attorney General Rob Bonta brought against Los Angeles County on Sept. 8, the county's jails are overcrowded and uninhabitable. In March, 878 inmates held at Los Angeles County jail were felon convicts, according to a Sheriff's Department report. That's 7% of the population."

"They're causing the issue by keeping them in counties, so they say their numbers are down, so they're closing prisons, said Correctional Officer Jeremiah Rohbock, who wrote the initial letter. The Norco prison has open beds, low costs per inmate and more rehabilitation and certification programs than most prisons, Rohbock added. RELATED: Will this California prison return to its glory days as a luxurious hotel? The CDCR's weekly report says that the prison currently has 2,460 inmates, and was designed for 1,822."

Correctional officers at the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco wrote Attorney General Rob Bonta urging the facility remain open to help alleviate county jail overpopulation. California began housing some convicted felons in county jails in 2011 after a Supreme Court ruling that prison overcrowding constituted cruel and unusual punishment. Attorney General Rob Bonta sued Los Angeles County on Sept. 8 alleging county jails are overcrowded and uninhabitable. In March, 878 inmates in Los Angeles County jails were convicted felons, about 7% of the population. Officers say Norco has open beds, lower per-inmate costs and more rehabilitation and certification programs. CDCR announced CRC will close by fall 2026 citing projected lower prison populations and cost savings, and did not respond to requests explaining why Norco was selected.

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