More jail woes.

Today's Log Cabin features a story about some 20 rebellious inmates following a crack down on cleanliness at the Faulkner County Detention Center. In the story Capt. Jeff Johnson tells LCD reporter Stefanie Sampson that SWAT was called in when the inmates wouldn't comply with an order to lie down so jailers could remove them from the dayroom.

SWAT used an OC gas canister to affect entry and the inmate revolt was ended. Inmates were later returned to their cell and put on administrative lock down until they comply with the new policy. Stefanie Sampson writes,

Following the incident, the inmates were returned to their cell and placed on administrative lock down. Inmates in other cells complied with the new rules.

Johnston said the new cleaning policy was implemented last week because inmates were not keeping their cells properly maintained.

"It was nasty. I don't live like that; I don't expect anyone else to live like that. Now, they have a mandatory shower, mandatory cleaning, and they keep things neat and orderly," Johnston said.

In a recent letter to the editor inmate Herman Neal says jail conditions are deplorable. But his complaint has nothing to do with cleanliness. He writes,

Inmates and people awaiting processing and/or court are handcuffed to a concrete bench with metal bars, sometimes for hours and even days. To the people who run the Criminal Justice System, I would love to have your cooperation; but I fear you not. You know as well as I, that you could correct the overcrowding at the jail in less than a week. You could do this by freeing the young men who are being held that are not habitual and /or a threat to society. And could make a great change on this sickening food being served.

The asinine policy of political parties and their erroneous belief of, most Americans based solely on the concept, of punishment and it never has nor will it ever be successful in deterring crime. You know as well as I that prison and jail population are growing at an alarming rate, far faster than general population.

We do not agree with his assertion that the release of criminal offenders will solve the problem but his letter does show what has been a common theme for the FCDC, inmate care in an overcrowded facility. After years of lawsuits that has plagued Faulkner County we still have to contend with the overcrowded and unsafe conditions that are costing us taxpayers dearly.

Could tensions related to this overcrowding contributed to this revolt and the show of force by jail administrators? Will this incident result in more lawsuits?

So what about the county's new jail that was scheduled to be open in December? We'd have to say that it's basically a train wreck. Leaks, mold, and questions about floor coatings are among some of the problems that have delayed the opening of the new jail. A facility touted to be the remedy for the overcrowding isn't getting off on a good note.

Jail Administrator Bobby Brown and others have noted that the county is somehow saving money by not housing prisoners but that is simply isn't the case. Sure the county doesn't have to pay for "housing" prisoners but we are paying in other ways, ways that could ultimately cost us more should one of those prisoners win a lawsuit. Then there's the millions in past due fines that go uncollected while we wait for this train wreck to finally get open. Wednesday's event demonstrates a scary reality that jailers must live with everyday, the safety of the jail. Isn't it only a matter of time before these jail conditions lead to a major problem that will cost the taxpayers dearly? Hasn't it already cost us plenty in the defense of the many lawsuits? Somehow we think that cleanliness is the least of their problems. . .