Dueling forces could swing Santa Clara County’s jail population back and forth, as officials look to revive zero cash bail and move those numbers down.
County leaders recently mulled over the idea at a public safety hearing late last month. It’s unclear when or how they will push the debate forward — largely because it’s the job of Santa Clara County Superior Court judges to vote on bail dollar amounts by offenses annually under state law. That outcome could affect the fate and capacity of a new jail facility, which the Board of Supervisors can control.
Board President Otto Lee urged moving forward on the idea, while Supervisor Susan Ellenberg declined to issue specific direction in favor of continuing discussion over the next few months…