James A. Musick Facility
James A. Musick Facility is a minimum-security correctional center in south Orange County, California. The prison is on an unincorporated pocket of land, surrounded by the city of Irvine on three sides (including Alton Parkway to the northwest) and bordered by Lake Forest's Bake Parkway to the southeast. Despite being on unincorporated land, the prison is listed as being in Irvine. The 1,250-bed facility houses inmates charged with lower-level offenses such as intoxicated driving and drug possession. The prison is named in honor of James A. Musick, the Sheriff of Orange County from 1946 to 1974. A small portion of the center's resources are dedicated to illegal immigration detainees, however, that usage is being phased out.[1]
  James A. Musick Facility | |
| Location | 13502 Musick Irvine, California, United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 33°39′50″N 117°42′01″W |
| Status | Temporarily closed (construction) |
| Security class | Minimum-security |
| Capacity | 1,250 |
| Opened | 1963 |
| Managed by | Orange County Sheriff's Department |
| ZIP Code | 92618 |
After decades of intention to expand the facility, construction of new buildings and infrastructure began in 2019 and is expected to be complete by 2022. Officials estimate that the project will cost $167 million to complete. The jail is currently vacant of inmates due to the construction process. Upon completion, the James A. Musick Facility will have the capacity for 896 more inmates.[1] Many have criticized the decision to expand the jail, alleging that the project will lead to increased racism and mass incarceration of racial minorities, and that the expansion is not needed as the county has a low incarceration rate.[2][3]
History
The James A. Musick Facility opened in 1963 in a largely undeveloped area, miles from any incorporated city. Early on in the operating span of the facility, inmates would spend time farming fruits, vegetables, and livestock. Security for the prison was very low, and fences were allegedly only erected to keep neighboring cattle out of the produce. A former employee of the jail testified that the inmates were trusted enough to "walk around on their own", and that the farming encouraged good behavior. The jail has been nicknamed "The Farm" due to its early agricultural operations.[1]
References
- Fausto, Alma (July 30, 2019). "After decades of roadblocks, Musick jail is finally poised to grow with $167 million expansion". The Orange County Register. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
- Castellanos, Gianni (July 24, 2020). "Stop the Musick Jail Expansion or Repeat Our Racist History". Jurist. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
- Kahn, Sarah (July 28, 2020). "Kahn: Amid a Pandemic and Economic Crisis, Orange County Forges Ahead with Plans to Expand Musick Jail". Voice of OC. Retrieved January 10, 2021.