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AAC


Legislative reception


F A M I L Y  F R I E N D S » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » Continued From Page 43 <<<


Danny Lewis, Miller County Treasurer, and his wife,Tami, pose for a shot in front of the fireplace in the ballroom.


Little River County officials came out to support the AAC’s legislative efforts. Pictured from left are Deanna Sivley, county clerk, Andrea Billingsley, circuit clerk, and Dayna Guthrie, treasurer.


County jails slammed


that bad things are going to happen. “Ninety percent of them are repeat offenders. Tey do the crimes, we release them, we write them up again and they beat us back down here when they’re let go again. “We need to have mandatory 10-year sentences on violent


crimes. We need to bite the bullet and realize that we need to put these guys in prison and keep them there. “Te state of Arkansas needs to convince the people that we’ve got to put the violent criminal in jail and keep him in there.” He said the crime problem is not going to change until the state starts punishing the violent offenders. “We’ve got to make a believer out of the criminal,” May said,


“punish them and let it be known that we’ll put them in jail and build more prisons if we need them. “And we’ve got to let the public know that, for their safety, we need more jail space.” May spoke about the problem of judges having to release some less violent offenders on their own recognizance because there is no room for them at the local county jail. “You hear some people say that we should put people in tents and things like that,” he said. “Te public doesn’t understand that there are regulations on the federal level and state level and that I can’t do that.” May also addressed the need for a new jail in St. Francis County. “We average between 80-100 prisoners at any one time,” he


said. “At one time, we went as high as 125 prisoners, but because of mechanical conditions at the jail, which is worn out, we can’t hold more than 100 now. “Te reason I want to build a new jail [in St. Francis County]


44 Continued From Page 30 <<<


County jails face numerous challenges including lack of adequate funding, overcrowding and too many state inmates under detainment in county facili- ties. Many sheriffs say the lack of beds in the state does have a negative im- pact on the criminal justice’s ability to protect its communities.


is for more bed space. I can’t add on to a decrepit facility that’s 50 years old. “A new jail facility is necessary. Tere is a cause and effect. If I


can’t build one and the state doesn’t build more prisons, we are going to have to put criminals back on the streets.”


On the Web: Consensus Report of the Arkansas Working Group on Sen- tencing and Corrections. Go to www.arcounties.org and search for “Consensus Report.”


COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2014


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