FRENCH CAMP-
San Joaquin Sheriff’s jailers say the recent escapees from the honor farm minimum security facility pose no physical danger to citizens.
Blake Walker was seen getting into a black SUV, possibly a Chevy, in the facility’s visitors parking lot and was driven away.
Walker was in jail on burglary and probation violation charges. Two weeks ago, two more honor farm inmates disappeared. Assistant Sheriff Dave Sousa says they had a history of property crimes.
“We don’t send violent inmates in the honor farm,” Sousa said.
He did acknowledge that the over-crowded main jail gives them little alternative than to identify inmates they can transfer to the honor farm. Under realignment, those inmates participate in rehab programs to get them off the life of crime.
But there are relapses, as evidenced by 10 inmate escapes from the honor farm since January. Sousa said it’s worth the risk to put them in the looser environment that is necessary for the programs to work.
“If we’re successful we’ll be able to impact crime in our community and make the entire region safer,” Sousa said.
Of the 10 escapees this year all but the latest three have been rearrested or turned themselves back in.