SEBASTIAN COUNTY: Plan to cut jail crowds pitched

— Sebastian County’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee is evaluating a work program aimed at putting a dent in jail overcrowding with the side benefit of providing free labor for area public and nonprofit organizations.

State corrections officials met with the committee Dec. 18 to pitch the program and to answer questions and concerns. The committee is composed of judges, prosecutors, jailers, probation officers, and court and county administrators.

Leading the delegation from the state were Benny Magness, chairman of the Arkansas Board of Corrections, and David Guntharp, the retiring director of the Department of Community Correction.

Under the program, convicts of nonviolent, nonsexual crimes who commit minor violations of their parole or probation would get a second chance before being sent back to prison or jail by working free of charge for the county or a public or nonprofit organization for 10-30 days.

Some on the county committee expressed concerns about supervision ofthe workers in the program and security of those around them on the job.

But Magness said the two counties now in the program, Benton and Boone counties, have reported few problems.

“I know it will work,” Magness said. “I know you’ll be satisfied.”

Community corrections officials would supervise the caseload and have the workers sign liability waivers. The county judge’s office would assign the jobs.

The goal of the program is to add an alternative to re-incarcerating offenders as officials around the state look for ways to ease overcrowding in the state prison system and county jails.

Program participants would be available for whatever work needed to be done and that they were able to do.

Tasks would include mowing, picking up roadside trash, janitorial work in public buildings, washing public vehicles, working at recycling centers or various duties for nonprofit organizations. Their presence would free up employees for more technical tasks.

“It’s kind of like having 10 volunteers show up at the county shop every day,” Guntharp said. “I don’t know of any county judge who would turn that down.”

Mike Moore, county judge of Boone County, which currently has five participants, said the program has provided free labor while relieving the county of the costs of housing and feeding the offenders in the jail.

Boone County has utilized the program for two years, Moore said.

Benton County has been participating in the program for three years. County Judge David Bisbee said its program currently has 70 members - 50 from district court and 20 from the Arkansas Department of Community Correction.

Vince Morris, Northwest Arkansas supervisor for the Community Correction Department, said the large number of Benton County participants resulted in the hiring of a program coordinator.

Bisbee said the No. 1 criminal offense in Benton County is failure to appear for court, and violators are sapping money from the county coffers sitting in the jail.

Having them in the work program, however, saves money and gives the violator a sense of accomplishment.

“Anytime someone can be productive, society can gain from it,” he said.

According to Bisbee’s office, entities that have taken on workers under the program range from the Centerton Street Department to the Horses for Healing nonprofit organization, Bella Vista Recycling Center and Pea Ridge National Military Park.

Sebastian County Judge David Hudson said at the meeting that he had a list of 20 inmates who he believes would qualify for the program.

Like others around the state, Sebastian County’s jail is chronically overcrowded, mostly because of the backlog of inmates who are awaiting space in the state prison system.

“I’m committed to making this work,” Hudson said.

Other committee members said they like the concept. Circuit Judge Steve Tabor said the committee will discuss the matter further before making a decision.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 11 on 12/29/2009

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