Jail crowding prompts worry

If the friggin laws were not in the crimnals favor I'd say PILE EM IN THERE. NO TV NOTHING!!

This topic has been raised since Greg VanWinkle was sheriff. The jail is too small, not properly formatted for state regulations, expensive to maintain. There are two options; One, find a site and build a new facility. Make it big enough to house the average number of inmates we normally hold plus add capacity for an additional inmates that could be housed for other counties. These counties (and the state) will reimburse Union County, this will help offset the cost. Look to other counties BEFORE doing this and get written commitments from them - contracts - on housing their prisoners, Second option, close the jail and farm out all our prisoners for housing. Figure out how much it costs to operate the jail annually (utilities, insurance, manpower, meals, etc.) and then figure out how much that breaks down to per prisoner per day. Is paying someone else cheaper or close to the same price as housing them here? The wages and benefits costs that would be eliinated by closing the jail would go a long way towards housing prisoners in another facility, and would lessen our level or resposibility. I know this isnt new material, but when are our officials going to properly address this issue? AFTER the lawsuit like always, or are we going to be proactive?

not again wrote:

This topic has been raised since Greg VanWinkle was sheriff. The jail is too small, not properly formatted for state regulations, expensive to maintain. There are two options; One, find a site and build a new facility. Make it big enough to house the average number of inmates we normally hold plus add capacity for an additional inmates that could be housed for other counties. These counties (and the state) will reimburse Union County, this will help offset the cost. Look to other counties BEFORE doing this and get written commitments from them - contracts - on housing their prisoners, Second option, close the jail and farm out all our prisoners for housing. Figure out how much it costs to operate the jail annually (utilities, insurance, manpower, meals, etc.) and then figure out how much that breaks down to per prisoner per day. Is paying someone else cheaper or close to the same price as housing them here? The wages and benefits costs that would be eliinated by closing the jail would go a long way towards housing prisoners in another facility, and would lessen our level or resposibility. I know this isnt new material, but when are our officials going to properly address this issue? AFTER the lawsuit like always, or are we going to be proactive?

i totally agree with every thing u said. go to a town meeting and see what they say. it sound brilliant

Everything you said was very true! It should really be illegal to house them in that way. Maybe they should think about doing some sort of work plan with some of the non-violent offenders. Let them out to work during the week. Then spend the weekend in jail on their dime by charging a fee. It would make them money and would avoid the overcrowding. There are many places they could build a jail. I hope they think about it seriously maybe even get it out of town.

"It should really be illegal to house them (jailbirds) in that way".

Please tell me you didn't say that!

Most cities throw their public intoxication arrests in the drunk tank until they sober up, and then let them go.

the majority of ofeenders in our jails are for check deception, child support and alcohol related incidents. The judicial element needs to make every effort to get these guy (gals) out of there. Amek them do community service, give wWanda some extra help, paint the courthouse - something other than pay for them to sit in an overcrowded jail and wait for a potential lawsuit. I know there will be liability issues, but there are liability issues in the jail when you let one of them hang themselves. And this is not the first time it has happened. Non-violent offenders, first time offenders that are not flight risks should be processed ASAP and placed in a program as stated. We should make every effort to get prisoners once convicted and considered 'state' prisoners - out of our facility. if that means IDOC or sneding them to another jail and let the state pick up the tab, one or the other needs to happen to free up space. Not sure if we have people who really pursue that vigorously or not. Maybe a different administration would. I rmemebr when there was an issue regarding not paying the matron as required by state staute and the commissioners blew it off again and again until the state was notified and they had to make restitution going back sevral years becasue they chose not to act. This is a time bomb that has been waiting to go off in their face for years. The fuze is lit, it's only a matter of time.

My thoughts are a bit liberal on this.
I do not believe in incarceration for any but those having committed "crimes against the person"- i.e. murder, rape/sexual assault, assault, home invasion/burglary, carjacking, etc.
Other offenders, whose crime was essentially harmless to other citizens, should be sentenced to something other than jail. These would include such charges as public intoxication, DUI without injury, embezzlement, simple drug possession, failure to pay and so on.
In shelby county, they have what they call "day reporting"- each day, the offender must report to the office in person, before and after work. At these times, if the person appears "out of sorts" in any fashion, they are tested for drug and alcohol. If they have failed to hold up to any of the mandates articled in their probation, they are detained til morning for the judge to address the issue. Of course, they do not use this as much as I think they should, but it is there, and is better than incarceration, not just for the offender- but everybody involved.
In Decatur county, the sheriff "inherited" an old elementary school, and converted it to a work release dormitory. I'm sure they are raking in the cash on that plan...
There is always another idea that can satisfy the public's need to punish non-violent offenders- these should be explored in more depth.

Connersvillian wrote:

"It should really be illegal to house them (jailbirds) in that way".
Please tell me you didn't say that!

It should be illegal for them to house them in the conditions it is in. You must be one of the idiots running that place

Make jails comfortable and cozy and 'outlaws' will try to get in. Give 'convicted' criminals rights and luxuries and they'll wanna stay in there.
It's not the gawddammed Hilton, you pathetic azzwipe!

Connersvillian wrote:

Please tell me you didn't say that!

Please God, tell me that this dumbass Connersvillian's time on earth is about over...

Harrrrr!!! I'm gonna live forever. Got it? Foreva!!!!!!!!!!

are u in uc jail right now? have they moved up to giving inmate internet acsess? u lost your freakin mind. i agree with who ever said put them to work with wanda on these county rosds. stop babying them!! notagain has the right idea. we could probably get by cheaper not having a jail in uc. the inmates that hang around outside the jail (trustees) can go home if they have one. y r they there costing tax payers money? we should hold law breakers less then 24 hours, if its serious ship them off to another county. why do we pay other countys to house inmates? do the inmates reimburse us?

How 'bout throwing the local prosecutors in with the bad guys and maybe they'll rethink 'plea bargaining' and 'early release'.

I agree with you Just Guy; put the mild offenders in the CEC building and give them a mop and bucket and then tell them to wash all those new windows and when they get done they can start over again; that will show em'.

I don't see anything wrong with the local prosecutors there doing a good job.I think connersvillian must have had a bad run in with the prosecutor(what do you all think)

I was only in jail twice in my life. I was so drunk I don't remember any of it.

I have no complaints about the local prosecutors. I was just trying (an' once again failed) to be funny.

Thank you.

Connersvillian wrote:

I was only in jail twice in my life. I was so drunk I don't remember any of it.
I have no complaints about the local prosecutors. I was just trying (an' once again failed) to be funny.
Thank you.

Connersvillian wrote:

I was so drunk I don't remember any of it.

Except how much you loved getting plugged in the rear. And you ain't looked back since. You effing gayhole sissy.

not again wrote:

This topic has been raised since Greg VanWinkle was sheriff. The jail is too small, not properly formatted for state regulations, expensive to maintain. There are two options; One, find a site and build a new facility. Make it big enough to house the average number of inmates we normally hold plus add capacity for an additional inmates that could be housed for other counties. These counties (and the state) will reimburse Union County, this will help offset the cost. Look to other counties BEFORE doing this and get written commitments from them - contracts - on housing their prisoners, Second option, close the jail and farm out all our prisoners for housing. Figure out how much it costs to operate the jail annually (utilities, insurance, manpower, meals, etc.) and then figure out how much that breaks down to per prisoner per day. Is paying someone else cheaper or close to the same price as housing them here? The wages and benefits costs that would be eliinated by closing the jail would go a long way towards housing prisoners in another facility, and would lessen our level or resposibility. I know this isnt new material, but when are our officials going to properly address this issue? AFTER the lawsuit like always, or are we going to be proactive?

They don't need more space.They are in jail.They should be locked up with no entertainment at all.The more uncomfortable it is the better!I Am sick of losers in jail living better than the people on the outside!!!

Connersvillian wrote:

Make jails comfortable and cozy and 'outlaws' will try to get in. Give 'convicted' criminals rights and luxuries and they'll wanna stay in there.
It's not the gawddammed Hilton, you pathetic azzwipe!

No shit Shurlock. But they shouldn't have 20 damn people in a cell fit for 10. Thanks for all your wonderful comments. You stupid Fu**