The county’s plan for a larger jail in downtown drew anxious questions Tuesday from Napa City Council members who wouldn’t have minded if the jail had gone elsewhere.

Council members praised the county’s efforts to minimize the jail expansion by creating a day treatment program intended to reduce repeat criminal behavior.

“The attempt to reduce recidivism is one of the most admirable things that could be done,” Councilman Jim Krider said.

At the same time, Krider wanted to know if leaders of the criminal justice system had taken a serious look at moving the jail out of the city.

“There are huge difficulties siting a jail where a jail doesn’t exist,” said Britt Ferguson, the county’s assistant CEO.

Other practical considerations dictated that the jail stay in downtown, Ferguson said. It would be both expensive and a security risk if up to 400 prisoners a month had to be transported from an outlying jail to court appearances, he said.

As it is, the criminal courthouse and the jail are connected by a secure underground tunnel, he said.

Under the new master plan, all or part of the current jail would be torn down and replaced with a new facility. Capacity would be expanded from 277 to 360 beds. Although financing has not been lined up, the county would like to complete the jail project within five years.

The county is betting that 360 beds will be sufficient for the next two decades if an innovative day treatment center cuts repeat criminality by up to 30 percent.

Housed initially in the Hall of Justice, which includes part of the jail, the Community Corrections Service Center would apply tested techniques to promote future law-abiding behavior.

Initially, 50 people from the jail or out on probation would receive help with substance abuse, education and job readiness and psychological issues.

This approach has borne fruit on the East Coast, but is new to California, officials said.

Krider wondered whether a larger jail, combined with the Community Corrections Service Center, would result in more troublesome people hanging out downtown and in Old Town.

“The reality is these folks will be very well supervised,” Mary Butler, the county’s chief probation officer, said.

While the number of people with criminal histories using county facilities may increase, some 75 probationers already come to her downtown offices daily, she said.

Mayor Jill Techel asked if the service center would result in more group homes for criminals being established nearby. Creating such housing is not part of the program, Butler said.

Techel said she was pleased that county officials had come to City Hall to brief the council on jail plans, but asked that the county do more. Although the county is able to build on county-owned land without city planning review, Napa would like to review aesthetics and parking issues, she said.

Police Chief Rich Melton, who was part of the criminal justice committee that studied jail issues for four years, lauded the new direction.

“I really think they have something here,” Melton said. If police have fewer low-level repeat offenders to deal with, they can devote more attention to serious crimes, he said.

The new county program will increase the number of convicted criminals coming and going downtown, with an impact on parking, the chief said. But police appreciate having a jail close at hand so officers don’t have to transport suspects out of town, he said.

“We can’t do business as usual,” said District Attorney Gary Lieberstein, noting that 70 to 80 percent of first-time jail inmates now have another run-in with the law.

“You’ve heard many people talk about being tough on crime. We’re going to be smart on crime as well,” Lieberstein said.