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| Drugs Continue to Flow into Pa. County Jail |
| By The News Item |
| Published: 05/19/2003 |
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Drugs and tobacco products continue to make their way into the Northumberland County. Pa., Prison, probably being cast over the stone walls surrounding the recreation yards. That's what Warden Ralph 'Rick' Reish told members of the county prison board at their meeting Tuesday. Marijuana, heroin, various pills and marijuana laced with cocaine have been found and confiscated from inmates, he said. Several of the incidents have been reported to the district attorney's office, according to Reish. The prison has a tobacco-free policy. Beyond the influx of drugs, Reish continues to deal with the pressures of overpopulation at the more-than-a-century-old facility. The population on Tuesday was 215, including 28 females - far above the 'capacity' of 175. Last week, at one point, there were 225 inmates, 30 of them female, the warden said. The prison board has been considering ways to relieve the overcrowding, including the possible construction of a pre-release center. Low-risk prisoners would be moved out of the main jail, freeing up space. Inmates at the new center, including those on work-release, would pay rent and for services such as laundry. In other business, Charles 'Chuck' Erdman, county controller and secretary of the prison board, said the room and board fee of $10, which was established in 2001, is being studied again. Erdman said an agreement was worked out with Central Credit Audit to collect from inmates after being released from prison after a certain period of time. Erdman said that agreement with the credit agency was never implemented. He is in the process re-establishing that contract and will be getting paperwork to other prison board members and the commissioners in the future. An inmate classification system has been initiated at the prison to separate aggressive and non-aggressive inmates. Reish said the two groups are separated for increased safety. More correctional officers are staffed with aggressive inmates, while less are required for the less combative group. Reish said, generally, aggressive inmates bully others, picking on those who are less aggressive. Inmates are working on several labor projects around the facility, including the sidewalk in front of the jail on Second Street. Reish said the sidewalk was taken out and concrete for the new walk will be poured soon. The project will cost about $650, Reish said. A representative of the National Institute or Corrections was at the prison a couple weeks ago to conduct a local system assessment. Reish expects a written report later this week or next week. |
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