love-austin
12-01-2004, 02:10 PM
LOCAL JAILS HOPING FOR RELIEF
Local jails hope for some relief when the state sets some prisoners free.
Last week, the Arkansas Department of Correction (ADC) set an all-time high with more than 13,000 inmates in the system. Until some of them are released under the Emergency Powers Act, many counties are keeping backlogged prisoners in crowded local jails.
Many local sheriffs’ offices are hoping for relief, but even with the Expanded Emergency Powers Act in effect and more beds being built, many more convicted criminals remain in jail and even on the street waiting for bed space at the ADC.
The Arkansas Department of Correction has 19 facilities built to hold more than 11,000 prisoners, and when they're packed state prisoners remain in county lock-ups across Arkansas. Already, a state inmate takes one of every five local jail beds.
Saline County jail administrator Lt. Hugh Gentry says inmates, forced to wait for space in state facilities, create a burden locally because there's just no space for them at the Saline County jail.
He says, "Once they're sentenced and scheduled to go to ADC, then we have to ship them to other places to house them to keep within standards." That’s cost the county $96,000 so far this year.
"They're charging us $30 a day to keep them in Dumas at this time and the state pays us $28 a day once they're put on the list," explains Lt. Gentry.
Because it's so crowded, the state invoked the Emergency Powers Act allowing paroled inmates to go home 90 days earlier than scheduled. The next step, Expanded Emergency Powers, will allow some to leave a year early. It appears to be too little, too late for Gentry though.
He says, "We have backed up to the point that our judges have let people out on bond awaiting bed space, so we also have that to worry about - not only the people in jail waiting for bed space but those out on bond waiting for bed space."
Saline County is building a new jail and the prison in Malvern is adding more than 300 beds, which will be ready next month. But according to the ADC, it's hard to keep up. At this rate, they'll need 1,000 new beds every two years.
Under the Emergency Powers Act only parolees are released early. They must be non-violent offenders with no meth convictions. There are 791 offenders being considered for early release.
This is the fourth time for the Expanded EPA to take effect, and it's a tight screening process. In the previous three rounds, 1,721 inmates were considered and only 358 were released a year early.
Local jails hope for some relief when the state sets some prisoners free.
Last week, the Arkansas Department of Correction (ADC) set an all-time high with more than 13,000 inmates in the system. Until some of them are released under the Emergency Powers Act, many counties are keeping backlogged prisoners in crowded local jails.
Many local sheriffs’ offices are hoping for relief, but even with the Expanded Emergency Powers Act in effect and more beds being built, many more convicted criminals remain in jail and even on the street waiting for bed space at the ADC.
The Arkansas Department of Correction has 19 facilities built to hold more than 11,000 prisoners, and when they're packed state prisoners remain in county lock-ups across Arkansas. Already, a state inmate takes one of every five local jail beds.
Saline County jail administrator Lt. Hugh Gentry says inmates, forced to wait for space in state facilities, create a burden locally because there's just no space for them at the Saline County jail.
He says, "Once they're sentenced and scheduled to go to ADC, then we have to ship them to other places to house them to keep within standards." That’s cost the county $96,000 so far this year.
"They're charging us $30 a day to keep them in Dumas at this time and the state pays us $28 a day once they're put on the list," explains Lt. Gentry.
Because it's so crowded, the state invoked the Emergency Powers Act allowing paroled inmates to go home 90 days earlier than scheduled. The next step, Expanded Emergency Powers, will allow some to leave a year early. It appears to be too little, too late for Gentry though.
He says, "We have backed up to the point that our judges have let people out on bond awaiting bed space, so we also have that to worry about - not only the people in jail waiting for bed space but those out on bond waiting for bed space."
Saline County is building a new jail and the prison in Malvern is adding more than 300 beds, which will be ready next month. But according to the ADC, it's hard to keep up. At this rate, they'll need 1,000 new beds every two years.
Under the Emergency Powers Act only parolees are released early. They must be non-violent offenders with no meth convictions. There are 791 offenders being considered for early release.
This is the fourth time for the Expanded EPA to take effect, and it's a tight screening process. In the previous three rounds, 1,721 inmates were considered and only 358 were released a year early.