'Computer error' missed 400-600 more Harris County inmates, state says

[MoMo]

Aug. 4, 2005, 11:50PM



Revised numbers show jail crowding is worse

'Computer error' missed 400-600 more Harris County inmates, state says

By POLLY ROSS HUGHES
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau



AUSTIN - Overcrowding in the Harris County Jail is considerably worse than numbers cited in June indicated, a state jail standards official said Thursday.

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards had found the jail in noncompliance last June, estimating that overcrowding had left nearly 1,300 inmates sleeping on mattresses on the floor.

Actually, the number sleeping on mattresses at the time of the report was closer to 1,700 to 1,900, said Terry Julian, executive director of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.

Julian blamed the discrepancy on a "computer error."

"I was shocked. The situation was much worse than it appeared. Somehow this number never came out even after the initial error. I find that a little disconcerting," said Bill Medaille of the American Civil Liberties Union's prison and jail accountability project.

The Harris County Commissioners Court is expected to approve nearly $1.5 million next week for staff to open more space and ease overcrowding in the county jail, county officials told the state regulators.

Sheriff Tommy Thomas said he's asking county commissioners Tuesday for $700,000 to fund jobs for 60 new detention officers through the end of the budget year in March.

He said he's also seeking $750,000 in overtime pay between now and the end of September, although ongoing overtime needs are likely to run into the millions.

With more jailers on hand, the county will be able to open up more space for the burgeoning jail population, which a state official said is growing at a rate of 100 per month.

Doug Adkinson, deputy chief of staff for County Judge Robert Eckels, told Julian that county commissioners are expected to approve the funding.

It represents a first step in attacking the jail's overcrowding. County officials are also working on a more comprehensive long-term plan that they earlier said could cost as much as $8 million. The Commissioners Court is expected to take up longer-term solutions in mid-September.

Other options under consideration include pressing the state to pick up inmates detained for Texas prisons more quickly, sending fewer people to jail for technical parole violations and diverting more low-level offenders to probation.

"This is a big ship, and you can't turn it real quick. It may be like the Titanic. Hopefully, there's no icebergs out there that's going to sink you," Julian told county commissioners at the jail standards meeting.

Julian expanded his Titanic analogy in a later interview, saying that with a jail population of 9,100 inmates, it will take Harris County longer to get back into compliance than it will for other counties.

"Part of the problem is they're taking in more inmates than they're letting out. It's like the gaping hole in the side. They just started bailing the water from the Titanic a little late," he said.

Chief Deputy Mike Smith, who oversees the jail, said the crowding could ease if the county can find a way to slow the intake.

Also, officials cited the addition of nearly 1,000 inmates convicted of state jail felonies who are serving their time in the county jail.

"Harris County is growing, so long term we'll have more people. We do feel like the intake has taken significant growth this year, and everybody's scrambling," Smith said.

Late last week, officials said that about 740 inmates had been moved from mattresses on the floor to bunks. Yet, based on the revised numbers cited by Julian, that still leaves roughly 1,000 without adequate sleeping arrangements.

The ACLU's Medaille said he was surprised the Jail Standards Commission is urging jail officials in Galveston to move faster to ease overcrowding in their jail, while taking a more patient attitude with Harris County.

"It seems to be the biggest issue on their plate and they didn't demand speedy action," he said. "I thought it was just odd. They weren't exactly subservient to the Harris County jail, but they weren't tough in any way."

polly.hughes@chron.com

[MoMo]

Why does this not suprise me. Blame it on the computers, If I remember correctly they are only as smart as the humans that operate them.

[jftazzy102]

Don't you know that they either blame it on computers or us women.....

[jimbo's EX LADY]

All I see is the pass the blame game.
The prisons are full because they refuse to let go of inmates. The jails are full of people on a waiting list to go to a already full prison, and they are backed up because they refuse to let go of anyone. When and where does it end? They all pass the blame around and nothing is solved. Now they are blaming the actual count in jail on the computer............People control computers.......duh!!!

My brother has an option of cutting his hair bald due to staph infections and lice infestation.........This is inhumane for any human.

[key jo]

Ummmmm, how can they keep State Jail inmates if they don't have the room? Didn't think that was how it was supposed to work?

[gigi v]

COMPUTER ERROR! THATS A LOT OF PEOPLE NOT ACCOUNTED FOR. ANY WAY THEY CAN LET MY HUNNY OUT TO COME HOME AND THEY WILL HAVE 1 MORE BED

[Leti]

They can let my hubby go too and they would have 2 beds

Leti Patricks wife

[MoMo]

they didnt loose any inmates all it was, was shuffling them around to keep in code when the auditors were there. Sad really if you think about it. It really isnt anything different that companys do really but in this case it is with people.

[DavesMrs]

That's how my hubby ended up with pneumonia in January, thanks to him lying on the floor at the county jail, right next to an A/C outlet. He wouldn't have been there if the damn judge hadn't put him there. When his name was called to be in court at his arraignment, he was in the bathroom. He was suffering from a severe case of the flu. She wouldn't even listen to his reason for not being in the court room. We had to shell out another $6,000 on a bond, after posting $3,000 for the original. And they said Denise Collins is a fair judge...Fair my....

If I hadn't paid the bond, he would have been dead within days, thats what they told me at the hospital. Too anxious to get people into prison for no good reasons other than making their figures look good.