Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout871494.tiff RESOLUTION RE: WELD COUNTY JAIL TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, Colorado, pursuant to Colorado statute and the Weld County Home Rule Charter, is vested with the authority of administering the affairs of Weld County, Colorado, and WHEREAS, the Weld County Jail Task Force, which was appointed by the Board of County Commissioners in 1987 , has presented the Board with its report (Exhibit A) dated December 3 , 1987 , which addresses recommendations concerning the jail facility and jail alternative programs, and WHEREAS, upon review of the recommendations, the Board of County Commissioners concurs with the recommendations of the Jail Task Force . NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, Colorado, that the recommendations of the Weld County Jail Task Force be, and hereby are, accepted. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board hereby commends the members of the Task Force for the fine job they have accomplished. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board directs County staff under the administrative control of the Board of County Commissioners to work with the Sheriff, District Attorney, Probation, Community Corrections Board, and the Courts to implement the recommendations of the Task Force . The above and foregoing Resolution was, on motion duly made and seconded, adopted by the following vote on the 7th day of December, A.D. , 1987 . BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ATTEST: WELD C LINTY, COLORADO e7 Weld County lerk and Recorder and Clerk to the Board o . L airman BY p7 epu e/ ,4_) C. Kir y, ro em ty Count Clerk ./ if, APPROVED AS TO FORM: Gene R. Bran ner \. equine o son County Attorney Frank maguchi ,>;'7 c 7v ' / ;, - 871494 1 to 1__ _7 Exhibit "A" OFFICE OF BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PHONE(303)359-4000, EX t. 4200 P.O BOX 758 GREELEY,CO'ORADO 80632 C. COLORADO December 3, 1987 Board of County Commissioners Weld County P.O. Box 758 Greeley, CO 80632 Dear Board Members: Based upon your charge to the Weld County Jail Task Force to study and make recommendations to you concerning the future of the facilities of the Weld County jail and jail alternative programs in Weld County, we make the following recommendations: LITIGATION WITH DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS: The County is strongly urged to carry forth the litigation with the other counties against the Department of Correction regarding the housing of state prisoners without payment and, ideally, to cease the practice of using County jails to house state prisoners. MODIFICATIONS TO JAIL FACILITY: Recommend maximizing the use of existing space and only spending money on the current facility for the increased efficient use of existing facility. The County should do whatever it can to deal with the jail population to avoid construction of a new facility or expansion of the existing facility. Whenever the current work release facility is to capacity it is recommended that consideration be given to operating the work release program at a new site which is not a secure facility or a community corrections residential facility. The current work release area is not suited for any other type of inmate without some redesign of the existing work release area. The only immediate capital expense to the existing facility should be the Phase III to provide an outside recreational area. 21.94 Jail Task Force Recommendation Page Two PR BONDING/PRE-TRIAL RELEASE: The task force supports the concept of a pre-trial release program. It is believed the program would allow the release of some prisoners held over weekends, and would reduce the number of people arrested on bench warrants. The program would greatly assist the courts in setting bonds. The program, if implemented, should be located in the probation department and must have the supervision component. The program could serve as one of the least expensive steps to free space in the jail (20-24 slots) . Program would require 2-3 staff members to be effective. USEFUL PUBLIC SERVICE: Recommend that based upon the success of the current program for offenders, that the program be expanded to 2.75 FTE January 1, 1988 and 3.0 FTE July 1, 1988. Task force cited this program as the best criminal justice program to come along in years. DUI BOOKING: Recommend using the program to the fullest extent possible. Program is working very well. Island Grove Treatment Center should be encouraged to increase their capacity. ELECTRONIC MONITORING: The task force does not see the need for this option at this time. The task force recommends looking at this option only after less costly options have been fully explored and used. If the option is ever explored seriously, all companies in the business should be asked to make proposals. COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS: Recommend that the current programs of the Community Corrections Board be continued and encouraged. When jail capacity problems warrant, consideration should be given to utilizing a locally operated residential facility for a county community corrections or work release program. FEE FOR MUNICIPAL PRISONERS: County should implement a fee for the housing of municipal prisoners for all municipalities. The contact should also require the municipality to assume any medical costs beyond routine care for municipal prisoners in addition to the daily housing fee. Routine health care costs are built into the daily housing fee. 871494 Jail Task Force Recommendation Page Three Other processing fees may be necessary to offset processing costs for municipal prisoners not actually housed but booked and released on municipal charges. FUTURE STUDIES: A. Recommend that the Board of County Commissioners hold a meeting every six months with representatives of the Weld County criminal justice agencies and courts to discuss the jail and jail alternative programs in Weld County. B. Recommend that the Board of County Commissioners and Sheriff, on a two to three year cycle, engage outside expertise to do a Weld County inmate population analysis and appoint a jail study committee to examine the jail needs and program alternatives in Weld County. The recommendations represent a consensus of the jail task force members. It should be noted that not all individual recommendations were unanimously approved by the task force. F. pectfully submit ed, Gene R. Brantner, Chairman Jail Task Force GRB/ch Hello