A new Santa Barbara County Grand Jury report claims male inmates have more resources available than female inmates in the county’s jail system to help with their rehabilitation.
The Grand Jury found that female inmates had fewer in-custody work opportunities to help prepare them for life outside of jail. It also said there were fewer college classes at the Main Jail than at the Northern Branch Jail in Santa Barbara.
The report also noted variations between the two jails in the availability of community-based programs for female inmates, like yoga and book clubs.
The Grand Jury is encouraging the county to beef up support for female inmates. The report says the county had about 850 female jail inmates during 2024, making up 10 to 12% of the daily jail population on an average day.
