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BCC talks alternatives to incarceration
By SUZETTE PORTER
| Article published on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 |
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CLEARWATER - An innocent agenda item to approve a consulting agreement for a jail master plan sparked a lengthy discussion by the Board of County Commissioners on criminal justice costs and alternatives to putting people in jail.
The BCC unanimously approved at its Tuesday meeting an agreement for consulting engineering and architectural services with Ranon & Ranon Partners Inc. for the Jail Complex Master Plan Phase I of II.
County Administrator Steve Spratt said the 1992 master plan needed to be updated to reauthorize Penny for Pinellas spending for criminal justice needs and capital infrastructure. He estimated that at least $200 million would need to be budgeted.
He said the past appropriation of $80 million, over the past decade, had proved to be inadequate, citing present construction of a health center for the new jail.
"During construction of the jail health center we ran out of money and had to move money in from other sources," Spratt said.
He said as the population of the county increases, criminal justice costs go up.
Spratt said the consultant would provide projections of the number of future inmates and current complexes would be evaluated.
He said the county judge and the court administrator would evaluate court needs in a separate report. The estimated $200 million would include jail and court costs, he said.
Commissioner Bob Stewart questioned the $200 million estimate and the impact it would have on availability of Penny for Pinellas dollars for other projects. He said voters needed to see benefits beyond funding of criminal needs to continue their support of Penny for Pinellas.
"We've become so reliant on that revenue," he said. "To continue to receive public support, we've got to spend some of the money on roads, bridges, trails and other projects that benefit the public."
Spratt said the $200 million would be about the same percentage of dollars from the Penny for Pinellas total as was devoted to criminal justice over the past 10 years.
"Our jails today are over capacity," Spratt said. "We don't want the federal government to come in and decide what we do."
Commissioner Karen Seel asked if the consultants would consider alternates to jails.
"Are they just going to look at building more holding tanks for homeless people," she said.
Spratt said part of the planning process could include identifying alternate facilities.
Commissioner Calvin Harris said the current jail population included three separate types - incarcerated, medical and homeless people.
"We can't include them all in an incarcerated plan," he said. "We should find out who is in jail; who is ill; and who is homeless."
Spratt said while all options could be considered, it was not the county's or the sheriff's decision to decide who would remain in jail and who could be set free. He said it was the decision of the judge, who must act according to state laws and requirements.
"It's not a simple matter to reduce the population by getting people out of jail," he said. "There are limitations."
Commissioner Ronnie Duncan asked if the scope of the current contract would allow the consultants to look into alternatives. He suggested that the decision to approve the contract be delayed until the contract could be rewritten.
Spratt said the consultants could be directed to look at the alternatives. He said timing was critical to get the information for the budget process. Spratt said he would get a group of people together, including the sheriff and the judge and others, to give direction to the consultants.
Spratt said the first phase of the master plan needed to be complete by July 31.
"There's got to be a smarter way to do this," Commissioner Ken Welch said. "Thirty percent of the inmate population is there on drug charges."
Commissioner Susan Latvala said part of the money budgeted for criminal justice should be used to get people out of the system, to help them get homes and to stabilize their mental illness.
"We have a chance to make a significant difference in human life," she said.
In related business, the BCC approved 6-1 a consulting services agreement and a design consulting agreement with L. Robert Kimball & Associates for jail expansion phase II for the health care facility. Commissioner Seel cast the dissenting votes in both decisions.
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Article published on Wednesday, May 17, 2006
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