This 2-Day Jail Stay Can Count

Two days is such a short time to address problems like domestic violence or drug addiction that jails serving as 48-hour way stations for accused criminals typically don’t bother.

But a federally funded program at the city-run Santa Ana jail is trying a different tack. Considering the large number of inmates locked up in county jails and state prisons because of addiction and crimes committed to support their habits, the experiment is worthwhile.

An important part of the Stay Out of the System program that began last July is referral to counselors outside the jail.

That’s a reflection that it takes more than a weekend to break an addiction. But if a former inmate can get help on the outside to supplement the counseling he received in jail, it reinforces the message and increases the chances of success.

One 26-year-old man jailed last month on suspicion of possessing crack cocaine said he welcomed the list of support groups and agencies that would help him when he was released. Like most others in the program, he had been arrested on a Friday night. On Monday he was arraigned, freed on bail and given a date to return to court.

Meantime, there were counseling sessions and briefings on where to get help.

Instructors also teach inmates how to handle anger, which is a major part of spousal and child abuse. One inmate said if he had gone through the program earlier he might not have returned to the jail.

Some offenders will see the program as a chance to pick up a certificate of completion to wave before a judge in a search for leniency. But judges know the score, and even inmates going through the program on a lark may find themselves benefiting.

Determining how many inmates wind up back in jail will play a role in deciding if Stay Out of the System is worth continuing. A counselor said that so far only a few who have completed the program have been arrested again.

More and better addiction treatment programs are one way of reducing jail overcrowding. Two days won’t work miracles, but if Santa Ana’s experiment shows results, it could be a model for use at other jails.