Pubdate: Tue, 07 May 2002
Source: Anniston Star (AL)
Copyright: 2002 Consolidated Publishing
Contact:  http://www.annistonstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/923
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing)

OVERCROWDING

The Alabama criminal justice system has continued to pump offenders into 
state prisons as if the jail cells could just expand to meet the demand. 
The prison population now sits at a staggering 190 percent of capacity. 
Alabama Corrections Commissioner Mike Haley says the source of the 
overcrowding are inconsistent and harsh sentencing guidelines. But while 
so-called "law and order" legislators have continued to hand down those 
guidelines and mandatory minimums, they have made no accommodations for the 
resulting boom in prisoners. The overflow prisoners end up sitting in 
county jails, packed tighter than dogs at a kennel. The state then pays the 
counties $1.75 a dayfor housing the inmates - nowhere near the actual cost 
of $26 a day.

Who pays the difference?

You do, in the form of high sales and gas taxes, as Calhoun County cannot 
levy any other kind of tax. The reason for this, as we all know, is our 
pitiful state constitution of 1901. It not only ensures that the state 
doesn't have enough money to build prisons, it also ensures that the state 
can't pay the counties when they take on the responsibility.

The overcrowding has its hidden costs as well. It makes recidivism more 
likely because inmates don't receive the treatment and training they need 
to function in society.

The sheriff's office must devote 60 percent of its budget to the county 
jail - money that could be used for more patrols and more officers to 
prevent crimes from happening in the first place.

The overcrowding leads to an inmate-to-jailer ratio of 90:1, which, 
according to Calhoun County Sheriff Larry Amerson, creates a dangerous 
situation for the deputies and is ripe for a riot or outbreak. As with many 
of Alabama's problems, change can only come with constitutional and tax 
reform. The state ranks dead last in per-inmate spending. In the words of 
Calhoun County Administrator Ken Joiner: "I can't fathom why we can't wake 
up and realize the services are needed, and until we change some things 
constitution-wise and legislative-wise, we're never going to get out of 
this hole."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom