McCracken second-most costly jail

State Auditor Luellen calls for moving county jails under the State Department of Corrections.

By Anne Thrower athrower@paducahsun.com--270.575.8653

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

McCracken County spends 43.12 percent of its general government fund to run the county jail, second-highest among Kentucky’s counties. In comparison, Fulton County earns $350,000 or more each year at its jail by housing state inmates.

The two western Kentucky jails portray what state Auditor Crit Luallen summarized in a 504-page report released Tuesday: The operating costs of jails varied widely among Kentucky counties last year.

Kentucky’s jail system has set up tiers of “winners and losers,” where some counties are able to make money on their jails while others lose, according to the report. A state-run system could save taxpayers money and make jails more efficient, Luallen said.

Kentucky spends more than $244 million a year on county jails, according to the report. Of the annual jail price tag, county fiscal courts pay nearly half — about $119 million.

A key recommendation in the report is that county jails be placed under the state Department of Corrections, a move that Luallen said could save counties millions.

Vince Lang, executive director of the Kentucky County Judge-Executive Association, said he supported the idea of a “unified corrections system.” His association supported a bill pending before the General Assembly that would lead to a “statewide takeover” of the jail system by 2010, Lang said.

“One hundred nineteen million could be put to good use in our communities,” Lang said.

Corrections Commissioner John Rees said the report was “a start” toward making the state’s jails more efficient, but he is “not sure” whether he supported the state assuming control of jails.

Perry County held the distinction of paying the most out of its general fund — 45.3 percent — for jail operation. McCracken County’s status as second-highest in percentage of general fund for the jail operation did not surprise Jailer Bill Adams. He estimated taxpayers were footing the bill for two-thirds of the 443 people at the jail Tuesday. Many are waiting for their cases to come to court. More than 100 are serving time for not showing up for court or failing to pay fines.

Unlike Fulton County, McCracken doesn’t have the space to house state inmates and receive the $30.51 per day paid for each state inmate housed. “We are stuck when a lot of jails are not,” Adams said.

McCracken County also has one of the highest costs per inmate for medical expenses — $4.40 a day. Part of those expenses are the result of a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department several years ago, Adams said.

The costs are expected to go down this year, in part because of a new managed care health program the fiscal court added. So far, the jail has saved $70,000 through the program, Adams said.

The jail is also expected to make an additional $100,000 this year from housing inmates for Livingston County, Adams said. There were 13 Livingston inmates in the jail Tuesday.

Prior to closing its jail last year, Livingston County was spending $82.27 per inmate per day, one of the highest in the state. Medical expenses were also high.

Fulton County Jailer Ricky Parnell doesn’t think the state will take over jails. Parnell operates one of the few jails in the state that has no cost to the county. In fact, he estimates the jail makes $350,000 to $400,000 per year and is able to put money into a surplus account.

Parnell does so because he receives income for 180 of his 215 inmates. Most of the income comes from the state’s Class D felon program or from inmates waiting to be placed in the state prison system. Fulton County also receives money for housing some inmates from Graves County.

About 60 to 70 of the state inmates work in the community doing everything from picking up trash to building baseball stadiums and mowing cemeteries, Parnell said. He estimates he provides the county with $800,000 in free labor each year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.