Shasta County Sheriff Michael Johnson revealed that he was unilaterally changing the location of a proposed Corrections and Rehabilitation Campus, which had been slated to be built off Eastside Road in Redding. The announcement came during a community meeting, where Johnson presented on the proposed correctional facility.

Community Reaction

The audience erupted in applause and cheers upon hearing the news, with some even breaking into happy tears. The location change was met with relief from community members, particularly those in the River Ranch neighborhood, who had expressed concerns about public safety and environmental impacts.

Johnson cited strong community opposition and potential negative impacts on the River Ranch community as reasons for the decision. He also mentioned a preliminary field biology report, which had made the path forward clear and encouraged him to finalize his decision over the weekend.

The proposed campus would have included space to expand the county’s alternative custody program, as well as buildings for the Male Community Reentry Program. The program is slated to hold about 100 inmates, with 60 coming from the state prison system and 40 from Shasta’s Jail.

Next Steps

Johnson emphasized that the county was still pursuing the project, just not at the Eastside Road location. He said that he does not currently have a new location in mind but will be looking to acquire private land, which will increase the cost of the project but will open new opportunities for where it could be placed.

Retired Sheriff’s Office Captain Jeff Foster, the campus’ project manager, shared additional details about the various treatment and vocational programs the expanded alternative custody program would include. Foster also outlined how the Male Community Reentry Program would collaborate with 13 other counties to serve participants across the North State.

Original reporting: Shasta Scout (Redding) — read the source article.