Legislature Mulls Expanding Jail Capacity For Female Inmates

A dramatic increase of female inmates at the county jail has prompted members of the Putnam Legislature to begin thinking about jail expansion.

By a unanimous vote last week, lawmakers requested County Executive Robert Bondi to "pursue and explore the need for jail expansion and renovation, and report to the Legislature a plan ands timetable for accomplishing this need."

Undersheriff Peter Convery and Jail Warden Captain Robert Lefever called the increase of female inmates a "national trend." Capt. Lefever said that as many as a dozen female prisoners were being incarcerated at the county penitentiary each day, resulting in an added expense because many of the women had to be boarded out due to a lack of space in Carmel.

The current jail, which was expanded in 1995 at a cost of $12 million, contains 128 cells with eight for female prisoners. Capt. Lefever said that as the result of the original "foresight of the project, $16 million in revenue has been generated by the county from outside board-ins during the past 14 years."

Plans submitted by the Sheriff's Department call for the expansion of the current jail in modular form to 160 cells with 24 set aside for female inmates.

Sheriff Donald Smith called the expansion of the jail especially for the female population a "necessity, not a luxury. By expanding the female capacity, the county will generate a good source of revenue by bringing in board-in money since jails in neighboring counties are feeling the same pinch."

In addition to constructing the addition, preliminary plans request renovation of the jail's medical unit.

The current women's jail was built in 1981. When construction began on the correctional center's expansion in the1990s Capt. Lefever said the average female population at the jail was less than one inmate. "As a result, minimum renovations were made, consisting of new lighting and improved air flow. Now with 12 female inmates regularly incarcerated in the women's section, housing problems have arisen."

Four cells, each consisting of 64 square feet, are controlled by what the captain called "remote supervision," where corrections officers are not stationed in an area to oversee the minuteby minute activities of the inmates, as is the case with the newer men's division.

The expansion plans propose renovating the current women's lock-up into a mental health clinic with the two dozen new cells being added at the rear of the jail. Capt. Lefever said such a plan would allow the county to "manage its own inmates. The state is not adding any hospital beds. Putnam Hospital Center is working very close with the jail relating to mental health issues but they are strapped, as well. The future is that the jail will have to handle its own mental health concerns."

Capt. Lefever said when discussion began on the project several years ago construction costs were estimated at between $3 million and $4 million. The sheriff piped in, "In a down economy, construction prices aren't pie in the sky. What a benefit to the residents of our county if we can price the job at the same price!"

The sheriff said he would like to "move forward on the project sooner rather than later. We did not approach the administration or legislature due to the county's budget crunch in recent years; now, with the county headed in the right direction, we have to move forward on the potential money maker."