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Welcome action on jail crowding

Spending millions to ease jail overcrowding isn't the easiest thing for an elected official to do when taxpayers are clamoring for relief. But the Pinellas County Commission stuck to its plan to spend $3.2-million to turn an abandoned bus garage into jail space for 288 inmates. Even when the project is completed in six months, the Pinellas jail still will be overcrowded. But give commissioners credit for doing their part to help relieve the pressure.

As of Friday, the jail, rated for 2,354 beds, had an inmate population of 3,732. In such an atmosphere tempers flair, guards are put at risk and a federal lawsuit over jail conditions is more likely. Taxpayers who complain about jail expenditures should realize that most of the people locked up haven't been convicted of a crime. They're awaiting trial or a hearing and can't afford the bail necessary for release.

It will be much cheaper and more humane to solve the jail problem now than to react after a tragedy. A solution will take cooperation from all responsible parties - sheriff, prosecutor, public defender and judges. When Hillsborough County faced the same problem, one thing it did was create a special court for violation-of-probation (VOP) cases, shortening the wait for a hearing. It was the most important factor in shrinking the jail population.

Pinellas criminal court judges have studied a VOP court here, but Chief Judge David Demers has been slow to act on the suggestion. Such a court could be up and running early next year when judges are reassigned duties, and the concept is favored by most judges as well as the sheriff, public defender and state attorney.

Even if the special court had no impact on the jail population, State Attorney Bernie McCabe said he would still favor it. "I'm convinced it would help the overall efficiency of the (court) system," he said Friday.

The number of Pinellas inmates awaiting hearings on technical violations of their probation (such as for missing payment of fines or meetings) has declined recently, though it's still a significant segment. On Friday, 285 inmates were awaiting probation hearings. Once they get to court, most will be returned home, continued on probation or sentenced to prison, all of which frees up jail space.

All that is needed now is a decision by Demers.

[Last modified September 24, 2006, 09:52:06]