November 05, 2013 10:43 AM
Shea Johnson
vvdailypress.com

County to receive only $875,360 from feds after spending $11.6 million

San Bernardino County jail inmates who were in the country illegally represented an estimated $11.6 million strain to the Sheriff’s Department during the 2011-12 fiscal year, and a federal award picks up only a tiny fraction of the cost.

At the county supervisors meeting Tuesday, the Sheriff’s Department is expected to accept the award of $875,360 — a 7.55 percent reimbursement — from the U.S. Department of Justice’s State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, according to the board agenda.

“SCAAP provides federal payments to states and localities that incurred correctional officer salary costs for incarcerating undocumented criminal aliens with at least one felony or two misdemeanor convictions for violations of state or local law,” according to the federal Bureau of Justice Assistance.

The BJA also insists, as a qualifier, individuals must be incarcerated for at least four consecutive days during the reporting period — in this case, July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012.

According to the board agenda, the Sheriff’s Department had budgeted to receive from SCAAP this year $64,640 more than it did and, as a result, “a corresponding reduction in salary and benefits appropriation related to overtime costs will be included in a future quarterly budget report.”

The program, which has awarded the Sheriff’s Department $16.7 million over the past 16 years, is not a reflection of actual cost to the department, according to the agenda. Instead, data collected from applicants nationwide is used to determine each applicant’s relative percentage of allocation.

In the county’s 2013-14 adopted budget, SCAAP funding is listed as the eighth most significant source of revenue for staff and operation costs at the Sheriff’s Department’s four detention facilities — including the Adelanto Detention Center.

Staffing and operation costs at the facilities, which hold a maximum of 6,013 total inmates, is budgeted this year for $163.5 million total.

Under the terms of the SCAAP program, funds awarded must be used for correctional purposes only.

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