County jails slammed


construction in November 2008. Te ribbon was cut on the facility in 2012, but paying for its staffing has taken a bit longer.


Te old jail, which was more than 100 years old, was built to house four prisoners, though it had more than 30-something in it before it closed, the sheriff said. “Newton County voters approved a tax to build the


jail,” Slape said, “but the tax that would have paid for operating it failed. So we’ve had to scramble to come up with the funds for that. Eventually, we managed a mill- age increase and some … money [appropriated by Sen. [Michael] Lamoureaux [Arkansas Senate District 16 and president pro tempore].” Staffing issues were the snag in operation costs, Slape said. Te jail will be staffed at all times by two jailers. Te slots will be maintained by officers working 12-hour shifts. In the years since the old jail closed, Slape said, county prisoners usually have been housed at the jails in Boone and Carroll counties at the rate of $35 per day and $25 per day, respectively. Slape said he would like to see some sort of help come


from the Legislature in the next session. “I’d like to see them raise the ratio to what they say it costs per inmate,” Slape said. He predicted that his jail will usually house the median number of prisoners of its capacity. “At times it will be more than that,” he said, “but usually


we’ll be somewhere around that.” Slape noted that Newton County’s recent history of having no jail and his having to find a place for all his prisoners in a nearby county jail has a direct effect on the sentencing by state district judges. It is a problem men- tioned by a number of sheriffs, though those who have jails may not face it to the degree that legal officers in Newton County do. “We had an instance recently that proved to be a good example,” Slape said. “I had a judge here who insisted on sentencing a female offender to jail time, even though I was afraid I would have trouble finding a place for her.” (He explained that a female inmate must be housed sepa- rately and have some aspects of her processing handled by a female officer or jailer.) “Tis judge spent four hours over here in my office, watching as I spent the time on the phone calling around to different counties looking for a place that could take her. It was a good experience for both of us. Although he has been supportive and understanding about our problem of placing prisoners, he had a chance to see it first hand, and it showed me his intent on putting the people who deserve it behind bars.” Slape explained that another aspect of the jail funding is the difference in the time a county has to spend the money on a state prisoner and the time it takes for reimbursement. “It can be 120 days out getting paid for the inmates you have housed,” Slape said. He said because area judges have expressed eagerness for


the Newton County jail to open, and especially one circuit judge who handles family law and child support cases. “He is wanting me to get this one open,” Slape said. “When we get our jail open, it will give the judges


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another alternative. “For the most part, the judges have been cooperative by being creative to help us while we’ve been without a jail.” Mike Loe is the sheriff of Columbia County. His jail, the Columbia County Justice and Detention Facility in the county seat of Magnolia, holds 90 prisoners, “95, if we have to,” he said. He said the population fluctuates, depending on the situation. “We were down to 15 a few weeks, and we have been


down to 1,” Loe said. “but we are usually higher than that. If we get into the 65-70 range for very long, it hits my budget, in regard to food and staff.” Loe said, in general, the county jails are not set up to be holding people who are sentenced to long-term stints in prison. He said he understands that the counties occasion- ally must house state prisoners, but that he hopes that something can be done to resolve the funding problem for the counties. “It’s a mess,” Loe said. “I don’t see any easy answers to it.” He acknowledged that the most recent problem of over-


crowding began with the Darrell Dennis incident. “Yeah, it all started with the Pulaski County thing,” Loe said. “It’s just that the rural counties don’t have a lot of money, and when they [increase the number of state prisoners being held at the county level], it puts the hurt on us. We’re sympathetic to the problem, but on the other hand, we’re hurting.” Loe noted that the problem is exasperated by his


county’s location. “We’re right down here on the Louisiana line,” he said,


“and I have one transport officer who doubles as a court bailiff. So, we’re limited by what we can do with our per- sonnel. “It’s not just the state inmates that cause the problem, but because we have limited staff, we have to stay on the Department of Correction to come and get them as soon as they can. He said that he had no suggestions for the solution, but that he is glad that Baldwin of the Arkansas Sheriff Asso- ciation and the Governor’s Office have opened up discus- sions on what to do about the problem. Bobby May, who is in his fourth term as sheriff of St.


Francis County and earlier served as Lee County sheriff, said the trend of increasing parole revocations is a good and bad thing. “It’s a double-edged sword,” May said. “We need to get the dangerous felons off the streets, but when we hold them as long as four to six months, it becomes a financial problem.


“Te state pays the counties $28 a day; it costs the counties $56 a day — we’ve got to find the money. Te Legislature has got to realize that we do need to address the problem. It is hurting us on the local level.” May also took the hard line that it is time to face the


problem that the state needs more prison beds. “If we are turning [violent offenders] loose earlier than we normally would, they’ve [legislators] got to understand


“County jails slammed” Continued to Page 44 >>> COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2014


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