County Commission | The Magazine April 2020 | Page 25

NEWS YOU CAN USE
Expanded Jail Inmate Report
Reveals Deepening Crisis
T
he first edition of ACCA’s latest
research publication, “Alabama’s
Unresolved Inmate Crisis,” detailed
a dark picture — an influx of State
inmates into county jails was costing
counties big bucks, an extra $63
million a year to be precise.
But it became apparent that
the crisis is only worsening, and
quickly, once final numbers came in
for another budget year. With the
addition of fiscal year 2019 data, the
influx is costing counties an extra
$93 million a year compared to 2014,
equivalent to nearly three times the
rate of inflation.
“Funding the growing needs of
county jails and sheriff’s departments
since 2015 has been done by reducing
other services at the local level,” said
ACCA Executive Director Sonny
Brasfield. “For counties, that’s really
the only option available.”
What changed? The Alabama
Prison Reform Act, intended to
reduce overcrowding at the state
level, became law in 2015 and led to
dramatic shifts in inmate populations:
• 5,000 fewer State inmates in
State prisons;
• 6,000 more State inmates in
county jails.
And, as ACCA’s research
indicates, the influx of State
inmates into county jails was not
accompanied by any increase in
funding to cover the increase in costs.
Addressing the inmate crisis is a top
priority for counties in 2020.
“At this point, we’re very
concerned that counties will
soon have to look at reducing law
enforcement costs to pay for the
parole and probation violators and
Class D felons who — since 2015
— now have to sit in the county jail,
where taxpayers pay for their medical
care, lawsuits and housing.”
When a task force was developing
the 2015 reform legislation, counties
expressed grave concerns about
unintended consequences and
encouraged more study. Counties
warned that new punishments for
parole and probation violators, called
“dips” and “dunks,” would put
pressure on jail beds, increase medical
costs and lead to more costly lawsuits
against counties.
County leaders also cautioned
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