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Pinellas County Jail: The big picture

By Jacob H. Fries
Published January 14, 2007

Pinellas' spike in inmate population over the past decade was predicted. A 1992 master plan for the jail called for three expansions between 1995 and 2005, adding 3,100 beds. Only 770 were built.

Steve Spratt, who became county administrator at the end of 2001, says he inherited a jail system too small to deal with surging inmate numbers.

Spratt: "I'm not sure whether blame is particularly helpful or productive. It's clear that decision-makers who were juggling the allocation of dollars didn't provide funding for more jail capacity such that I find myself scrambling now."

What will it take to fix the crowding problem?

Spratt: "Construction. So that you're at least building the capacity you need to detain those who you have to hold. But almost as important, you have to look at the system and design programs - diversionary programs, pretrial release programs - that decompress the facility."

Fred Marquis, who served as county administrator for 22 years before Spratt took over, says no one is to blame for the overcrowding; rather, it is inevitable.

Marquis: "Jail overcrowding is always an issue. Unfortunately, by the time you get the expansions built, the court fills them up. ... It's almost a no-winner. You'll get ahead for a short time period, but almost instantly, those facilities will be filled up again."

THE JAIL'S INFIRMARY IS OVERWHELMED. Designed for 44, it often holds 84. Only the sickest - those with cancer or severe drug withdrawal - get spots. Many must sleep on the floor in plastic beds, inches from the person next to them.

IN SUCH CLOSE QUARTERS, sick inmates are especially volatile, deputies say. Deputies stand guard when nurses and doctors treat patients. "You always got to try to play peacemaker," says Deputy Bernard Fink.

THERE ARE NINE CELLS for "suicide risk" inmates. Most days, all are full. Additional suicidal inmates must be housed in other areas of the jail, where deputies paid overtime are assigned one-on-one to keep watch 24 hours.

THE TWO CELLBLOCKS holding inmates with severe psychiatric problems are regularly full. "We're not trained to deal with their psychiatric issues, but we're expected to prevent them from committing suicide or hurting themselves," says Deputy Gary Paxson. "It's very stressful."

MORE THAN $1-MILLION is spent on medication in the jail each year. It strains the staff because each inmate must be evaluated before getting medication.

INMATES WAIT for months to see a dentist, who does no cleanings, just extractions.

"THERE ARE NO SLOW DAYS. Every day is extremely busy. Some are just worse than others," says Dr. Timothy Bailey, the jail's medical director for the past six years. Despite crowding, he says inmates with urgent medical needs are treated promptly.

MANY JAIL INMATES have abused drugs and alcohol. They lie about their medical history, haven't been to a doctor in years. "I can't believe we don't have more deaths in this jail because of how sick people are," Bailey says.

A $36-MILLION MEDICAL BUILDING with 400 beds is to open in March. The current men's infirmary will be converted to regular housing with 44 beds.

AN ABANDONED PSTA BUS GARAGE near the jail is being renovated to house another 288 inmates. Scheduled opening: August.

PINELLAS JUDGES are more quickly processing probation violators through the system, reducing the time inmates spend in jail.

IF PINELLAS VOTERS APPROVE in March a 10-year extension of the 1 percent Penny for Pinellas sales tax, the county will take $225-million off the top for court and jail projects. The first priority: a new 2,500-bed facility that would bring the jail's capacity to 5,298.

"We have a legal, moral and ethical responsibility to provide humane treatment for the inmates we house. ... We have to remember that 70 percent of the inmates haven't been convicted of the crimes they're being held on."

Pinellas Sheriff Jim Coats

"Everything is impacted by overcrowding. The laundry. The kitchens. They're all overworked. ... But you just get used to it and deal with it."

Maj. Kirk Brunner, who runs the jail

"Crowding turns up the volume on a situation and it will be linked with all the negative things you would expect; depression, anger, any number of disorders. ... When you put people in a crowded situation for the long term, the fight-or-flight impulse keeps firing, and it basically exhausts you."

Frank McAndrew,

professor of environmental psychology who has studied the effects of crowding

"It's a powder keg and it's going to get worse. ... It's inertia. We have to re-address who we are going to keep in jail. Most folks are nonviolent offenders."

Bob Dillinger, Pinellas-Pasco public defender

"There's been an old saying with jail, 'Build it and they will come.' You're never going to build your way out of this problem."

Bernie McCabe , Pinellas-Pasco state attorney

"Overcrowding poses the most significant challenge by far. ... Overcrowding, especially severe overcrowding, presents the single, greatest liability risk to a county, raising the prospects of lawsuits, consent decrees and court oversight."

Kimme & Associates, hired last year to examine the facility's current and future needs

Hillsborough has aggressively expanded its jails during the past 15 years. It opened Falkenburg Road Jail in 1993 and expanded the complex to hold 2,300 beds. Hillsborough's jail capacity has nearly doubled, from 2,159 in 1990 to 4,190 today.

Meanwhile, the county's inmate population has decreased. In 2005, the jails held an average of 4,647 inmates. In 2006, the figure was 4,070. Col. David Parrish, who runs Hillsborough's jails, attributed the decline to several factors. Among them: a new court that quickly processes the cases of probation violators.

A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY BY FLORIDA'S PROBATION OFFICERS. Since 2004, when 11-year-old Carlie Brucia of Sarasota was killed by a man on probation, the state has taken a hard line on violators. Even nonviolent probationers accused of minor violations go to jail, often for weeks. As many as 400 inmates have been held in the Pinellas jail on violation charges. Judges have started processing cases faster in recent weeks, so the number is lower now.

CRACKDOWN ON MINOR OFFENSES. People accused of lesser offenses such as trespassing, driving without a valid license and having an open container of alcohol often are taken to jail, rather than given tickets. Some stay in jail for weeks or even months, waiting to go to court. These offenses are not calculated in crime rates, which have been declining statewide.

LONGER WAITS BETWEEN ARREST AND TRIAL. Caseloads for prosecutors and public defenders have increased significantly, causing some inmates to wait longer for a resolution, said Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bernie McCabe.

MORE FEMALES. About 18 percent of the jail's population is made up of women, up from 11 percent in 1992.

[Last modified January 14, 2007, 01:32:51]