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| Inmates to share the burden of their incarceration |
| By LISA MILLER • News Journal |
| Published: 03/13/2009 |
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MANSFIELD, OH -- Asking jail inmates to pay at least part of the cost of their confinement is one issue. Collecting the bill is another. Richland County Sheriff's Department Maj. Roger Paxton brought that question to Richland County Commissioners on Thursday. The jail administrator said a new state law allows prisoners to be charged for certain costs. Sheriff Steve Sheldon and his staff have been looking to close a $500,000 budget gap to avoid laying off up to 14 employees. Paxton was seeking the commissioners' OK to collect a $30 booking fee, the full cost of medical and dental bills, $6 to $7 for drug testing and money to repair property damaged by prisoners. "It's kind of a way of generating some monies," he said, although he's not sure how much. "They always have commissary money, one thing they do have is money for goodies." The law allows prisoners to be charged for room and board, Paxton said, but he wasn't ready to start collecting what has been calculated at $31.95 a day. Questioned about other counties' practices, he said Ashland County is reportedly collecting quite a bit of the money it charges. "It looks like more work for the sheriff's office," Commissioner Gary Utt observed. But if the collection process can be worked out, he said, "I think it's a good first step." Commissioners Tim Wert and Ed Olson agreed, noting that the county looked at a $30,000 software program that would report on inmates' assets. However, the time involved and the willingness of the courts to use it were concerns. Olson said they didn't want it to be like the Community Alternative Center. "It was oversold that it was going to pay for itself," Olson said. "Why spin your wheels if you can't implement it?" He added the court system also needs to be involved in the agreement.Read more. If link has expired, check the website of the article's original news source. |
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