Wednesday, October 11, 2000
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Wednesday, October 11, 2000 |
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County delays no vacancy sign on overcrowded jail By DAVE HAMRICK
Officials are taking a wait-and-see approach to an earlier consensus that a moratorium on new prisoners at the Fayette County Jail might be in order. As daily population levels hovered around the 240 mark at the jail, designed for about 80 inmates, the County Commission last week discussed the idea of turning away all new inmates until the jail population recedes to 160. "You have reached the point at which it is not advisable that you accept anymore prisoners," County Attorney Bill McNally told the commission during its work session last week. Although a new jail will soon be under construction, it will be 18 months to two years before it's ready to receive prisoners, and overcrowding must be dealt with now, McNally said. But discovery of documents in which the county formally agreed to accept prisoners from local municipal courts has muddied the water. "There are complicating factors on everything we want to do [to solve the problem]," said Commissioner Greg Dunn this week. Commissioners appeared ready to enact a moratorium effective Oct. 15, but after discussing the matter again Thursday, decided to hold off until McNally and Sheriff's Department officials could discuss the problem more thoroughly with all the police agencies using the jail. McNally said this week that county and local municipal judges and law enforcement agencies are trying alternative sentencing and new procedures to help relieve the pressure, and it's working. For instance, he said, the process of accepting guilty pleas is being speeded up so that prisoners can be moved to state facilities faster, freeing up space in the jail. Bond hearings for traffic offenders and others who are not dangerous also are being put on a fast track, he said, so that those who are going to be released on bond anyway can be released sooner. "This is not going to solve the whole problem," McNally said, adding that eventually commissioners will have to discuss the idea of sending some of Fayette's prisoners elsewhere. Underlying the commission discussion last week was the fear that federal agencies might force the county to take drastic measures if the jail overcrowding gets any worse. "Don't think for a minute that because we are in a building program for a new jail that the feds won't [take action]," said Commissioner Glen Gosa. Two recent deaths at the jail also may have prompted the heightened concern over the crowded conditions. Dunn added that safety for those who work at the jail also is a concern. "We cannot leave the sheriff and his deputies in a situation of having to deal with a dangerous situation," he said. That doesn't mean dangerous criminals will be released, though, commissioners hastened to add. "This is not a get out of jail free card," said Commissioner Linda Wells. Jail manager, Sheriff's Department Maj. Robert Glaze, said he has been involved in discussions with county officials about the problem and is looking for relief. "I want to get my numbers to a manageable level," he said. Commissioners acknowledged that they will probably have to find more money in the budget to house local prisoners elsewhere, sooner or later. If a moratorium eventually is needed, the cities of Fayetteville, Peachtree City and Tyrone, which have been housing their prisoners at the Fayette County Jail, also may be asked to fund housing for prisoners outside the county. But under the city/county agreement, that would have to be a negotiated arrangement. "We realize this is a budget item that they didn't anticipate. It's going to be the same for everybody involved," said Dunn. One possible housing solution would be to strike a deal with the Union City jail. The jail has excess capacity, which the local government sells for $45 a day.
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