Harris County Jail Sees Dip in Population
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is working on a plan to bring back inmates who were outsourced to other facilities as the jail population has recently decreased. According to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, the district attorney’s office has been working to more quickly dispose of criminal cases, resulting in a significant decrease in the jail population.
Decrease in Outsourcing Costs
This decrease in population is expected to lower the amount of money the county pays to send inmates to other facilities. Previously, the county was expected to pay over $54 million to outsource more than 1,200 inmates to facilities in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Prioritizing Deputy Wages
Sheriff Gonzalez has been calling on county commissioners to prioritize increasing deputies’ wages as the county heads into budget season. He believes that the sheriff’s office’s efforts to lower outsourcing costs should be considered in discussions to increase their pay. However, some commissioners want to see issues with the jail alleviated before they approve boosted wages.
Unsustainable Outsourcing
Gonzalez argues that continuing to outsource inmates will prove to be unsustainable over time. The county jail was never designed for long-term stays, with inmates spending an average of 180 days in the downtown Houston jail. This is compared to the Texas average of about 60 days in other jail facilities.
Jail Population Demographics
About 12% of the jail population comprises homeless inmates, while about 80% suffer from mental health disorders. Sheriff Gonzalez emphasized that the jail is not equipped to handle these social issues, stating, “We’re not a homeless shelter. We’re a jail system. We need to be dealing with not social ills everyday. We’re the largest mental health hospital.”
Risk of Losing Qualified Deputies
Gonzalez also warned that the sheriff’s office is at risk of losing qualified deputies to other agencies in the region if it can’t offer competitive pay. This could lead to a more dangerous community, especially in unincorporated areas of Harris County.
Finding Funds for Increased Wages
County officials agree that deputies should have pay parity with other local agencies, but finding the funds to back increased wages will pose an issue during budget discussions. Gonzalez suggested looking at essential and non-essential programs to find available funds.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the decrease in the Harris County Jail population is a positive step towards alleviating the issues with outsourcing inmates. However, the county still needs to address the underlying problems, including the lack of competitive pay for deputies and the jail’s inability to handle social issues. By prioritizing these issues, the county can work towards creating a safer and more sustainable community.
