It’s good to have a Sedgwick County commissioner watchdogging the county jail. But Commissioner Gwen Welshimer’s refusal Wednesday to vote for any increase in funding to deal with jail overcrowding seemed petty and stubborn. As other commissioners pointed out, the county has a legal obligation to house and provide basic medical care to inmates. And as Sheriff Robert Hinshaw repeatedly has explained, the Sheriff’s Office has very limited ability to reduce the jail population. It must accept all inmates sent to the jail as a result of criminal cases.
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31 Comments
At a cost of $28,000 per year per inmate, more in federal prisons … something must be done to reduce prison populations. Lots of possibilities, but someone must take the lead.
Seems as though every time the Sheriff gets his annual edifice complex, people who would normally get tickets somehow end up in the hoosegow. We seem to be continually enlarging the place, with no effect on crime.
Maybe not having enough jail space might motivate a little creative thinking regarding who we arrest and how they are sentenced. While there are certainly criminals that need to be locked up, alternatives to jail time would alleviate overcrowding, be less expensive and possibly more effective for the majority of nonviolent suspects and offenders.
Why is it that when they pay for their crimes, it’s always us taxpayers who get stuck with the bill?
Maybe we should stop throwing people in jail for simple drug use. Like, save jail space for dangerous types?
The law and order crowd wouldn’t go for that.
She is the KS version of Nazi Piglosi
She isn’t petty or stubborn — she is who she said she would be if elected.
People who need help with mental illness or addictions don’t get that help in jail and it isn’t where they belong.
I’m very disappointed with too many in law enforcement who hold an attitude I refer to as: “I’ve got a gun!” Those people seem less inclined to keeping citizens safe and more inclined to strutting their egos.
XXX
Posted October 9, 2009 at 7:23 am | Permalink
Maybe we should stop throwing people in jail for simple drug use. Like, save jail space for dangerous types?
====================================
That won’t work, it makes too much sense.
I hear there are some openings coming up in GITMO.
Maybe…
“She isn’t petty or stubborn — she is who she said she would be if elected.
People who need help with mental illness or addictions don’t get that help in jail and it isn’t where they belong.”
The problem is as a county commissioner, she has very little influence on that.
It is the district court, primarily dictated to by the state legislature, that impacts the county jail the most. Those people having committed, for the most part, felonies.
Sure, there are some county specific charges I am sure she can change, eventually, but very little impact overall.
In the meanwhile,
“As other commissioners pointed out, the county has a legal obligation to house and provide basic medical care to inmates”
“
And I thought Karl Peterjohn was supposed to be the Budget hawk, anti tax crusader??
Whether she does or doesn’t have influence, she made this stance part of her campaign. Obviously the majority of voters in her district approve of her opinions since she was elected.
“Whether she does or doesn’t have influence, she made this stance part of her campaign. Obviously the majority of voters in her district approve of her opinions since she was elected.”
Whoopee. Big deal. The fact is, she is taking a stance on something she cannot affect, and in doing so, is neglecting her legal obligations. Perhaps that is what her supporters want her to do. Me, I prefer my elected representatives to follow the law and their legal obligations. But hey, I suppose creating “much noise, signigying nothing” appeals to some.
Kinda like Sedgwick county declaring itself a swine flu free zone. Nice declaration, means nothing.
LJ, felons don’t serve out their sentences in the county jail, and the petty offenses that people are routinely jailed for are well within the scope of the Sheriff and the county commission to deal with
“LJ, felons don’t serve out their sentences in the county jail, and the petty offenses that people are routinely jailed for are well within the scope of the Sheriff and the county commission to deal with”
so, only those convicted of misdemeanors go to county? Where did you get that?
and what are the “petty” offenses that people are routinely jailed for?
I do know the Municipal court sends their inmates there. Those would be misdemeanors.
“Sedgwick County Department of Corrections operates all corrections programs and facilities under the direct authority of the Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners except the Adult Detention Facility programs
“Hinshaw is even more concerned because next July the state is increasing jail time for repeat DUI offenders”
That sir, is a felony
So LJ since your such a fan of the government your not going to complain when your property taxes get raised? And if your really clueless on what offenses one can be jailed for I suggest looking up the county statutes http://www.sedgwickcounty.org/kora/index.asp that should help
DUI’s are only a felony after being convicted of a certain number of them , and that’s true with many misdemeanors get get caught driving without a license, disorderly conducts and those will turn into felonies too, and felons serve their time in prison unless you get a plea deal
“DUI’s are only a felony after being convicted of a certain number of them”
That is true. Two is the correct answer. And they serve their time in the county jail.
And I didn;t say I didn’t know which offenses people can be jailed for. You stated the majority was for “petty” offenses. I asked you to define.
“So LJ since your such a fan of the government your not going to complain when your property taxes get raised”
Did I say that? No, I didn’t.
LJ, Since you seem to be opposed to any sort of measure that decreases the jail population, that leaves either expanding the jail( until its full and needs further expanding) and raising taxes or continuing to ship out inmates to to other counties. Both which are expensive.
“LJ, Since you seem to be opposed to any sort of measure that decreases the jail population, that leaves either expanding the jail( until its full and needs further expanding) and raising taxes or continuing to ship out inmates to to other counties. Both which are expensive.”
I Didn;t say that. I said it was mostly outside of her jurisdiction. If she wants to change it, she should try and change state law by being a state legislator. Her “stance” is nothing more than political posturing
Please define which “petty offenses” most of the population of the county jail have been convicted and sentenced to jail for.
“petty offenses that people are routinely jailed for are well within the scope of the Sheriff and the county commission to deal with”
Please defend your statement, rather than trying to find some way to point out that I said something ….that I didn;t.
Which petty offenses are people routinelyjailed for.
How can the Sherrif deal with it?
How can the county commision deal with it?
One possible way, though I have no idea about the legality of it, would be for the county commission to no longer allow municipal courts to house prisoners there. As the municipal courts that do so are primarily in sedgwick county, I have no idea whether or not that would be legal. But, it would be within her province to at least make an attempt to make it happen
LJ Inside of being a broken record, you can use google and look up all the county ordinances to your hearts content, I think I posted the link once,
As for county can “deal with it” see every week the county commissioners get together and have meeting in those meeting they often vote on assorted ordinances aka laws. They can also have meeting and decide a ordinance isn’t working the way they would like or has unforeseen consequences and repeal it, and the Sheriff its his job to enforce said ordinances and deputies have alot of latitude when it comes to arresting people and giving out tickets
In other words, Thomas Paine, you have no idea how the system works, and cannot defend your position. Instead, you just drink the kool aid.
Thanks for making it plain.
“People who need help with mental illness or addictions don’t get that help in jail and it isn’t where they belong”
I think that is correct in many cases. However, it is primarily at the state level where those needs have to be addressed. And I am not sure it is economically efficient, if that is what some are looking for. However, many should be not be incarcerated except when all else fails. Rehab is better for nonviolent offenders whenever possible.
TomPaine-
Read the article linked to in the header. It might explain a few things to you.