Pubdate: Mon, 02 Feb 2004
Source: Messenger-Inquirer (KY)
Copyright: 2004 Messenger-Inquirer
Contact:  http://www.messenger-inquirer.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1285
Author: James Mayse
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)

INFLUX OF INMATES PUTS STRAIN ON HANCOCK JAIL

Budget For Housing Inmates Out Of County Exhausted

When the Hancock County jail was built in the 1970s, methamphetamine
was unheard of in the region and the county was considered a low crime
area. The small county jail, which was built to hold 10 inmates, often
had empty cells.

Today, the jail is constantly full and the county has to house several
inmates in other county jails for long periods of time -- to the tune
of $27 to $28 per inmate, per day.

"This jail was built in 1976, and we used to have room left," said
Jack McCaslin, the county's judge-executive. "Now, it's really made it
tough for us to stay within that (jail) budget."

For fiscal year 2003-2004, which ends June 30, Hancock Fiscal Court
budgeted $20,000 to house inmates in out-of-county jails. But the
county has already spent those funds and is now drawing on county
reserves to cover the cost of housing inmates outside the county.

"We're $4,000 over budget and only halfway through the year," said
county jailer Michael Axton. "Drug cases, and child support cases, are
killing us. Drug cases are bad, but child support cases are right behind
it."

In 2003, Hancock county jailed 414 inmates, 378 in 2002. In 2001, the
county jailed a total of 359 inmates.

"We're not dealing with the numbers of Daviess County, but, for a
small county jail, we're seeing a large increase," Axton said.

Axton said many people arrested on drug charges are often unable to
make bail, requiring the county to house them until trial. The county
also houses prisoners serving their sentences.

The combination, Axton said, is more than the small jail can
handle.

"I'm averaging eight to 10 people in (the) Breckinridge County (jail)
every month.

"Twenty years ago, if you had ever told someone this jail would be
full, they would've laughed at you," Axton said.

"Meth is really hitting western Kentucky hard," Axton said.
"Unfortunately (meth manufacturers) have a leg up: There are more of
them then law enforcement officials.

"(Law enforcement officials) do everything they can to stop it and
keep it down, but for every (meth manufacturer) you arrest, you have
one or two waiting to take his place," Axton said.

The combination of inmates who can't post bond -- and the increase of
drug cases -- means some inmates will sit in jail for months before
ever going to trial, Axton said.

"If someone comes in on meth charges, (the judge) is going to set a
pretty good bond on them right off the bat," he said. "We've had some
in here on meth charges who are here for the second time. The judges
and the courts are so backlogged, and there are new people arrested
every day."

For county officials, the difficulty comes in estimating how much the
county should budget to house prisoners outside the county.

"You never know what to budget for that," McCaslin said. "Up until the
last couple of years, we've been staying fairly close -- but the last
couple of years, we've had a lot more inmates."

The increase hasn't affected other county services, McCaslin
said.

County jails get limited funds from the state, and McCaslin said he
does not expect additional state support for jails in the future.

"If it holds true, it's probably going to be double what we've
budgeted," McCaslin said.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin