County Commission | The Magazine January 2020 | Page 10

FROM THE COVER
governments has increased, bringing
even more rising costs.
Data from all 67 counties
shows that annual combined costs
to operate county jails and sheriff’s
departments increased $63 million
from 2014 to 2018, more than
double the rate of inflation.
“County government recognizes the unavoidable link between county jails
and the Alabama Department of Corrections. All involved in this effort must
recognize that reform at either level has a direct — and dramatic — impact on
the financial well-being of the other level of government. Effective solutions to
this long-standing problem must include revisions to the 2015 reforms, which
have proven so costly to counties that the county jails now face a crisis not
unlike that which confronted the State in 2014.”
How Did We Get Here?
— ACCA Executive Director Sonny Brasfield in “Alabama’s Unresolved Inmate
The 2015 act originated with
Crisis: A Report on the Unintended Impact of the 2015 Prison Reform Act”
a task force formed the prior year
amid significant federal pressure
to improve the state prison system.
“dunks,” would put pressure on
by counties in 2014 have been
Counties had two representatives
jail beds, increase medical costs
confirmed by data collected from
on the task force: former Marshall
and lead to more costly lawsuits
state agencies and a survey of all 67
County Commissioner Bill
against counties.
counties, and there are exacerbating
Stricklend and Baldwin County
• Individuals convicted of the new factors, such as the law’s unmet
Sheriff Hoss Mack.
Class D felony would serve all
requirement to establish State-
As recommendations took shape,
their time in county jails rather
operated regional facilities for
counties expressed concerns about
than State prisons.
“dunks” to relieve some pressure on
unintended consequences for county
Counties encouraged more
county jails.
jails and county budgets, specifically: study, but legislation passed in 2015
Many prisoners sleeping under
• New punishments for parole
despite these objections.
county roofs are awaiting transfer
violators, called “dips” and
Today, the concerns voiced
to a state facility, but the rate of the
10 | JANUARY 2020