Published: August 20, 2008 12:21 pm            

Study: Floyd County Jail needs more space

By 2030, the average number of inmates housed in the Floyd County Jail will be 642. The number of beds needed will be 737.

Now, the Floyd County Commissioners have to consider several options, from increasing the capacity of the current jail, to building a new one.

Paul Downing, a criminal justice planner with DLZ Indiana, LLC., presented his study to the Floyd County Commissioners Tuesday. He said the final numbers are high, and explained how the daily number of inmates can be slashed.

“On the surface I think those numbers are high,” Downing said of the 2030 projections which follow current trends.

One of the areas he said should be studied are the inmates who fall under the failure to appear category. He said in 2007, Floyd County had 492 inmates charged with failure to appear.

The 47-page report, which is expected to be finalized in two weeks, studied 12 different areas. It also looked at trends from 2003 to 2007.

During that period, the average number of inmates is 198 with a high of 265 in 2006. That has decreased to 255 in 2007.

Since 2004, the average length of stay for inmates is five days.

Downing proposed several recommendations before commissioners decide whether to build a jail or increase the capacity of the current one.

Those recommendations include: forming a Local Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee to meet weekly to study the jail population and the plans to reduce the population; develop a failure to appear notification program; recommend inviting Robert Ohlemiller, an expert in probation and community corrections, for consulting purposes; and consider contracting with Melinda Haag of Maximus Corp. who has worked with Lake County to successfully reduce the jail population.

In other business Tuesday:

• The M.L. Reisz Building, which houses adult probation, community corrections, emergency management and the soil and water conservation district, will reopen today.

The building was closed Aug. 14 after employees complained of an odor which was making them sick.

The odor turned out not to be black mold as originally reported. While there is still an odor, Commissioner Steve Bush said a new vent and other measures will be installed to correct the problem.

“We didn’t want to take any chances and we wanted to take care of our employees,” Bush said.

• The commissioners said they would revisit the current travel policy following a complaint from Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson.

Henderson said a recent overnight hotel bill in Indianapolis for $112.52 which was submitted by one of his deputy prosecutors was rejected. The reason, county travel policy.

The policy states if a meeting begins after 8 a.m., employees are expected to travel the day of the event. If it starts before 8 a.m., the county will pay for a room the night before the event.

Henderson said all but $25 was paid for by the state. He also said he has a travel line item in his budget, which comes from diversion and other fees, that doesn’t affect the general fund.

“It’s a ridiculous policy,” Henderson said. “You are trying to micro-manage my department. It’s insulting. I should not be told when someone can go for overnight lodging.”

Bush said a committee was formed to revisit the policy to keep some offices from abusing the policy.

The commissioners decided to look at the policy and pay the claim.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.