Pubdate: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 Source: Mobile Register (AL) Copyright: 2002 Mobile Register. Contact: http://www.al.com/mobileregister/today/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/269 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration) PRISON OVERCROWDING REQUIRES LONG-TERM FIX A RECENT court order that requires state corrections officials to take in 100 more prisoners a week (for a total of 275), and tells county officials to quit dumping prisoners on the state, offers perhaps the best short-term answer to Alabama's festering prison overcrowding problems. For the long-term, though, state officials will have to provide a comprehensive solution. This latest action came earlier this week after a few frustrated county sheriffs delivered 240 prisoners to the state -- unannounced. State corrections officials say they don't have room for more prisoners, and county sheriffs complain that their jails are overcrowded, too. Circuit Judge William Shashy wisely told officials there must be an orderly process in the transfer of prisoners, so he halted the dumping of prisoners on the state. But he also told state officials to step up the transfers. He's also fining the state more than $2 million a month for failing to transfer prisoners from the county jails fast enough. The 1,600 or so prisoners in question are county jail inmates who have been sentenced to state facilities but are waiting for prison beds. The state is committed to transferring the inmates within 30 days of sentencing, but it hasn't been doing that because it doesn't have the room. Now, many county jails are overflowing. Baldwin County's jail, for example, has over 100 more inmates than it should hold. State prisons are out of space, too. Holding more than 27,000 inmates in facilities designed to hold 13,000 has resulted in cramped sleeping quarters and edgy prisoners. Moreover, a federal judge ruled Dec. 2 that overcrowding at the Tutwiler Prison for women in Wetumpka is "unconstitutionally unsafe." U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson ordered the state to reduce the overcrowding. Designed to hold 364 prisoners, Tutwiler has more than 1,000 inmates. Judge Shashy recently underscored the risk: "We've got a problem," he told state officials. "Don't y'all understand that? It's going to take somebody getting killed for things to get better." We hope not. Granted, the state has plans for a new 400-bed prison, stepped up paroles, expanded alternative sentencing programs and more prisoner work camps. But lack of funding and what appears to be lack of political will have kept the plans padlocked. Fortunately, the prison system could benefit if new sentencing guidelines are approved next year. The Sentencing Institute is expected to recommend alternative, community-based sentencing and probation for nonviolent offenders, with the aim of freeing up space for violent criminals. Unfortunately, the institute's report is at least a year past due. One of Gov.-elect Bob Riley's first actions in office should be to demand the report so legislation can be passed in the next legislative session. Mr. Riley also will have to confront the need for more money in the corrections system for more probation officers, more parole hearings, more prison beds, more community programs and more guards. And it's likely that a tax increase will be needed to fund them. The Register editorial board earlier criticized the proposed use of tents, Quonset huts and old National Guard buildings as temporary prisons -- all of which remain poor solutions to a problem that demands long-term, comprehensive solutions. But with jails and prisons at the breaking point, even pup tents would be better than doing nothing. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake