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Inspectors with the U.S. Department of Justice have been at the jail all week looking at the medical facilities.

By Anne Thrower athrower@paducahsun.com--270.575.8653

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

The tone of Tuesday's visit by a medical specialist with the U.S. Department of Justice was noticeably better than in past years, McCracken County officials said.

"I would have to say it was one of the best visits we have had," said Jailer Bill Adams, referring to the visit by Dr. Joseph Fowlkes, who spent Monday and Tuesday reviewing medical practices at the facility.

The medical area has been one of the more intensely probed areas by U.S. Justice Department officials since its first visit in 1998. Almost half of the county's 30-page agreement signed with the Justice Department in 2001 related to the physical and mental health of inmates.

Justice officials do not talk to the media during their visits. Andrew Barrick, an attorney with the special litigation section of the Justice Department, is in charge of the follow-up visit.

No major concerns were brought up, Adams said, but they were interested in the jail's procedures for testing inmates for tuberculosis. Two prisoners tested positive for the disease earlier this year, forcing the jail to test all inmates.

County Administrator Steve Doolittle said justice officials requested information related to the TB incident prior to the visit. But he declined to talk about specifics of the conversations with federal officials, saying he was concerned about future litigation.

Neither Doolittle, Adams nor County Attorney Dan Boaz thought the TB incident would hurt the county's ability to meet the conditions agreed upon in 2001.

During Fowlkes visit last year, he suggested the county should hire a physician's assistant. Since that time, the county hired Reetha Guminski, who started giving TB skin tests as well as other tests to inmates within 14 days of their arrival. Doolittle said Guminski has saved the county thousands of dollars in medical costs since her arrival earlier this year.

On Monday, Jim Balsamo, an environmental consultant, pointed out a few areas of concern in his exit visit with county officials. For example, he cited some dark spots in the jail that needed better lighting, Doolittle said.

Balsamo was also concerned that the carts used to take inmate food from the kitchen to their cell areas needed to be smaller and carry fewer trays of food so the food would stay warmer, Doolittle said.

Balsamo noticed the effect the smoking ban has had on the cleanliness of the jail, Doolittle said. Also, all the alarms worked and the water in the sinks was hot enough, he said.

Justice officials will write a report based on this week's visit and will decide if future visits are necessary. Barrick and a corrections specialist plan to complete his visits later today.


	Federal Visit at McCracken Jail 'one of best' Adams Says
		Inspectors with the U.S. Department of Justice have been at the jail all week looking at the medical facilities. By Anne Thrower athrower@paducahsun.com--270.575.8653 Wednesday, September 14, 2005 The tone of Tuesday's visit by a medical specialist with the U.S. Department of Justice was noticeably better than in past years, McCracken County officials said. "I would have to say it was one of the best visits we have had," said Jailer Bill Adams, referring to the visit by Dr. Joseph Fowlkes, who spent Monday and Tuesday reviewing medical practices at the facility. The medical area has been one of the more intensely probed areas by U.S. Justice Department officials since its first visit in 1998. Almost half of the county's 30-page agreement signed with the Justice Department in 2001 related to the physical and mental health of inmates. Justice officials do not talk to the media during their visits. Andrew Barrick, an attorney with the special litigation section of the Justice Department, is in charge of the follow-up visit. No major concerns were brought up, Adams said, but they were interested in the jail's procedures for testing inmates for tuberculosis. Two prisoners tested positive for the disease earlier this year, forcing the jail to test all inmates. County Administrator Steve Doolittle said justice officials requested information related to the TB incident prior to the visit. But he declined to talk about specifics of the conversations with federal officials, saying he was concerned about future litigation. Neither Doolittle, Adams nor County Attorney Dan Boaz thought the TB incident would hurt the county's ability to meet the conditions agreed upon in 2001. During Fowlkes visit last year, he suggested the county should hire a physician's assistant. Since that time, the county hired Reetha Guminski, who started giving TB skin tests as well as other tests to inmates within 14 days of their arrival. Doolittle said Guminski has saved the county thousands of dollars in medical costs since her arrival earlier this year. On Monday, Jim Balsamo, an environmental consultant, pointed out a few areas of concern in his exit visit with county officials. For example, he cited some dark spots in the jail that needed better lighting, Doolittle said. Balsamo was also concerned that the carts used to take inmate food from the kitchen to their cell areas needed to be smaller and carry fewer trays of food so the food would stay warmer, Doolittle said. Balsamo noticed the effect the smoking ban has had on the cleanliness of the jail, Doolittle said. Also, all the alarms worked and the water in the sinks was hot enough, he said. Justice officials will write a report based on this week's visit and will decide if future visits are necessary. Barrick and a corrections specialist plan to complete his visits later today.
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Federal Visit at McCracken Jail 'one of best' Adams Says