Press Conference with Jacobs

By Tara Giddings

Press Conference

The Modoc County Jail is facing issues of overcrowding and is unable to house, feed, or protect prisoners from rape, according to the sheriff who announced his resignation this afternoon in the town of Alturas, California.

“They have got to do something about this, it is inhumane” said Melvin Jacobs in reference to his dispute with taxpayers over building a new jail with better conditions.

The jail was originally built to hold 20 prisoners, said Jacobs, but is now being used to squeeze in 80 prisoners at times. There are 22 cells that are used to hold at least 60 prisoners on the average day.

Prisoners are allowed to roam about in the jail due to the overcrowding, according to Jacobs. He also said over his past 7 years serving as sheriff there were 17 escapes.

Jacobs complained he has no safe way to lock up these prisoners and said multiple reports of rape occurred at the jail despite efforts to separate juveniles from the older prisoners.

The jail is also facing issues feeding the prisoners since 87 cents are allotted per day to pay for prisoners food, said Jacobs. He described the food as something “most people wouldn’t feed to their dog”.

A frustrated Jacobs said these issues remain unresolved because “the county is not interested in spending any money on jail birds”.