County awaits studies to decide on jail expansion, construction
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Sebastian County officials agree that the jail is the biggest challenge facing them, and they await studies to determine if an expansion or a completely new jail is necessary.
“We don’t have a plan for the jail right now,” County Judge Hudson said.
Sebastian County’s 1994-era jail is overcrowded. It consistently houses more people than the 356-bed cap allows. In March, the average daily population was 394 people. From November through February, the average daily population reached more than 400 people.
“People don’t want to hear it but the reality is our jail is too small,” Sheriff Hobe Runion said.
When the jail reaches capacity at 356, administrators are not able to separate people by crime, meaning that people who have committed violent crimes are not separated from people who have committed non-violent crimes.
In March, Sebastian County Quorum Court members decided to renew a study by Studio 6, TreanorHL and Mark Goldman & Associates.
The team completed the first phase of the study in September. That first phase recommended that the jail needs approximately 500 beds. It has 356.
Also in September, the quorum court decided to cancel the study at the advice of Hudson.
Hudson said he advised the justices of the peace to end the study because the National Institute of Corrections is preparing to conduct its own study, which will be paid for with federal dollars.
Last month, Hudson advised the quorum court to re-hire Studio 6, TreanorHL and Mark Goldman & Associates because he does not know when the National Institute of Corrections will complete its study. It has until next April to complete the study.
Hudson wants to use a pot of $10 million and a pot of $14 million from the American Rescue Plan to go toward improvements to the jail. The county needs this study done in a timely manner so it can move forward on the project and have a plan for the jail. Both pots of money need to be spent by 2026.
“Right now I cannot tell you when the National Institute of Corrections is going to be on scene on-site to implement their technical assistance services,” Hudson said. “If we knew that and if that was going to happen on a timely basis that might make a difference on addressing this $10 million and this $14 million, but given that that is still not scheduled and that we already had the preliminary work done and a lot of knowledge in that Studio 6, Goldman, Treanor group to finish their other work, and given the fact that they could finish it within a couple of months time. It’s merely information to the quorum court and the decision-makers that could also, will also be presented to the National Institute of Corrections advisors, and I think would be useful to help address this difficult and challenging planning process.”
The county has paid about $80,000 to go toward the Studio 6, Mark Goldman & Associates and TreanorHL study and will shell out as much as $60,000 for the rest of the study.
That first phase of the study consisted of the researchers conducting meetings to speak with people involved in the Sebastian County criminal justice system.
The study first began in 2018 but was delayed because of the 2019 floods and the pandemic.
“Unfortunately you had two consecutive years of interference on the study,” Hudson said.
Hudson estimated that the Studio 6, Mark Goldman & Associates and TreanorHL study would be completed by June.
Runion said the process of either expanding the jail or building a new one will not just involve adding more beds. It also affects the spaces for laundry facilities, medical, administration and the kitchen.
“All of those have to be addressed when you’re adding beds,” Runion said.
Prosecuting Attorney Daniel Shue said that another way to handle the problem would be to reduce the number of people in jail by expanding the county’s diversion options.
Those alternatives involve specialty courts, such as the veteran court that works with veterans to keep them out of jail. It also includes the new system of texting people to remind them of their court dates. That program has cut the number of failures to appear by 27% in circuit court.
“And those alternatives work,” Shue said.
Alex Gladden is a University of Arkansas graduate. She previously reported for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and The Jonesboro Sun before joining the Times Record. She can be contacted at ag******@sw*****.com.
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