California Code, Penal Code - PEN § 4476

(a) While the County Jail Capital Expenditure Bond Act of 1981 and the County Jail Capital Expenditure Bond Act of 1984 have helped eliminate many of the critically overcrowded conditions found in the 164 county jail facilities in the state, many problems remain.

(b) Numerous county jails and juvenile facilities throughout California are dilapidated and overcrowded.

(c) Capital improvements are necessary to protect life and safety of the persons confined or employed in jail facilities and to upgrade the health and sanitary conditions of those facilities.

(d) County jails are threatened with closure or the imposition of court supervision if health and safety deficiencies are not corrected immediately.

(e) Due to fiscal constraints associated with the loss of local property tax revenues, counties are unable to finance the construction of adequate jail and juvenile facilities.

(f) Local facilities for adults and juveniles are operating over capacity and the population of these facilities is still increasing.  It is essential to the public safety that construction of new facilities proceed as expeditiously as possible to relieve overcrowding and to maintain public safety and security.