If the establishment were a bed and breakfast, the promotional material might read: “A secure facility furnished in shades of taupe and rose, with hot pink jumpsuits and tan sandals waiting for you after your shower.”
In reality, the Lawrence County Jail reopened Monday sporting a new, calmer color scheme and with prisoner uniforms in a shade edging on hot pink.
Sheriff Brad DeLay closed the jail in late July due to security and maintenance issues. County commissioners have worked with the sheriff since then to get the facility repaired and secured.
To cover the costs totalling approximately $453,882, officials used a variety of existing funds without having to go to voters for more money. This has resulted in some “belt tightening” for 2010, as explained during the annual budget hearing in January.
“We did not spend anything we did not have to; there is no indebtedness,” said DeLay.
Using existing funds is not a new concept involving the jail. On Sunday, Sheriff Brad DeLay told an assembly of media personnel the jail was built using existing funds in 1987 -- after voters refused two ballot measures to fund the building of a new jail.
“This [jail] is not big enough. We will be at capacity within days of opening,” said DeLay. “It has to serve us at least five years.
The jail has a capacity for 32 male and 12 female prisoners.
He went on to say the sales tax measure funding the criminal justice center sunsets (ceases) in five years or when that loan is paid. He suggested voters could continue a similar tax for a new jail.
Features
One security measure found in the jail is an iris scanner. DeLay noted the jail is one of a few locations in the state to use this feature. When the equipment takes a snapshot of the eye of a prisoner who has been incarcerated there before, other pertinent information about that person will appear on the computer screen.
“We’ve got to work out a few computer details before we can start using it,” said DeLay.
Fingerprinting is also done via computer, similar to several other jails in the area. This allows for the fingerprint to go online immediately.
Some of the changes/repairs include:
• The addition of a new, commercial style cook stove. The menu for prisoners includes a breakfast of oatmeal; a lunch of sandwiches and chips; and a supper of cornbread, pinto beans and green beans. The same menu will be used each and every day, explained the sheriff.
• Walls in all prisoner areas (dayroom, shower and cells) are pink, which experts say is a calming color. Most other features (like cell doors) are painted a tan or taupe color.
• Prisoners will no longer wear blaze orange jumpsuits. The sheriff opted to use the soothing pink color contrasted with tan shower sandals.
• The repaired dayroom includes more security cameras and phones which include recording equipment for monitoring outgoing calls. The phones can be programed to alert deputies when prisoners dial specific numbers. Prisoners can view a television (secured in a box-like structure) with a minimum of channels available. New steel panels and a stainless steel sink complete the renovations in the day room.
• Over 30 security cameras of various styles can be found throughout the facility; previously, 10 to 12 cameras monitored prisoner activity.
• Doors throughout the jail are now designed for a correctional facility rather than being the hollow core used in a residence. DeLay described the doors as “feeling like a jail door.”
• Steel mesh covers the ceiling and eliminates prisoners having direct contact with wires and pipes.
• Electromagnetic doors have replaced the swinging cell doors. There is no key-lock mechanism; the doors are opened and closed by personnel in the dispatch area. The sheriff described this as “the biggest fix” in the renovation project and noted the doors should be jimmy-proof.
Cost for the doors was $130,000. He noted the old ones could have been repaired for $80,000, but estimated six months down the road inmates could have had them messed up again.
• No longer will all plumbing have to be shut off when an inmate stuffs something into a drain. Cutoffs are now in place for each cell and others areas of the jail.
• Only one, outside door can be open at a time.
• The camera system monitors numerous areas of the jail at one time. While demonstrating, about 36 areas could be seen on the screen at once.
• The new, commercial washer and dryer are expected to result in a savings over the frequent repairs for the smaller versions used previously.
• New, correctional fencing with razor wire rims the perimeter of the exercise yard.
As he ended the tour of the jail, DeLay said, “We worked well with the commissioners. This is more secure than it was when it was brand new; some of the technology used now was not available then.”
“I can’t think of anything not done that we wanted to do,” said the sheriff.
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If the establishment were a bed and breakfast, the promotional material might read: “A secure facility furnished in shades of taupe and rose, with hot pink jumpsuits and tan sandals waiting for you after your shower.”
In reality, the Lawrence County Jail reopened Monday sporting a new, calmer color scheme and with prisoner uniforms in a shade edging on hot pink.
Sheriff Brad DeLay closed the jail in late July due to security and maintenance issues. County commissioners have worked with the sheriff since then to get the facility repaired and secured.
To cover the costs totalling approximately $453,882, officials used a variety of existing funds without having to go to voters for more money. This has resulted in some “belt tightening” for 2010, as explained during the annual budget hearing in January.
“We did not spend anything we did not have to; there is no indebtedness,” said DeLay.
Using existing funds is not a new concept involving the jail. On Sunday, Sheriff Brad DeLay told an assembly of media personnel the jail was built using existing funds in 1987 -- after voters refused two ballot measures to fund the building of a new jail.
“This [jail] is not big enough. We will be at capacity within days of opening,” said DeLay. “It has to serve us at least five years.
The jail has a capacity for 32 male and 12 female prisoners.
He went on to say the sales tax measure funding the criminal justice center sunsets (ceases) in five years or when that loan is paid. He suggested voters could continue a similar tax for a new jail.
Features
One security measure found in the jail is an iris scanner. DeLay noted the jail is one of a few locations in the state to use this feature. When the equipment takes a snapshot of the eye of a prisoner who has been incarcerated there before, other pertinent information about that person will appear on the computer screen.
“We’ve got to work out a few computer details before we can start using it,” said DeLay.
Fingerprinting is also done via computer, similar to several other jails in the area. This allows for the fingerprint to go online immediately.
Some of the changes/repairs include:
• The addition of a new, commercial style cook stove. The menu for prisoners includes a breakfast of oatmeal; a lunch of sandwiches and chips; and a supper of cornbread, pinto beans and green beans. The same menu will be used each and every day, explained the sheriff.
• Walls in all prisoner areas (dayroom, shower and cells) are pink, which experts say is a calming color. Most other features (like cell doors) are painted a tan or taupe color.
• Prisoners will no longer wear blaze orange jumpsuits. The sheriff opted to use the soothing pink color contrasted with tan shower sandals.
• The repaired dayroom includes more security cameras and phones which include recording equipment for monitoring outgoing calls. The phones can be programed to alert deputies when prisoners dial specific numbers. Prisoners can view a television (secured in a box-like structure) with a minimum of channels available. New steel panels and a stainless steel sink complete the renovations in the day room.
• Over 30 security cameras of various styles can be found throughout the facility; previously, 10 to 12 cameras monitored prisoner activity.
• Doors throughout the jail are now designed for a correctional facility rather than being the hollow core used in a residence. DeLay described the doors as “feeling like a jail door.”
• Steel mesh covers the ceiling and eliminates prisoners having direct contact with wires and pipes.
• Electromagnetic doors have replaced the swinging cell doors. There is no key-lock mechanism; the doors are opened and closed by personnel in the dispatch area. The sheriff described this as “the biggest fix” in the renovation project and noted the doors should be jimmy-proof.
Cost for the doors was $130,000. He noted the old ones could have been repaired for $80,000, but estimated six months down the road inmates could have had them messed up again.
• No longer will all plumbing have to be shut off when an inmate stuffs something into a drain. Cutoffs are now in place for each cell and others areas of the jail.
• Only one, outside door can be open at a time.
• The camera system monitors numerous areas of the jail at one time. While demonstrating, about 36 areas could be seen on the screen at once.
• The new, commercial washer and dryer are expected to result in a savings over the frequent repairs for the smaller versions used previously.
• New, correctional fencing with razor wire rims the perimeter of the exercise yard.
As he ended the tour of the jail, DeLay said, “We worked well with the commissioners. This is more secure than it was when it was brand new; some of the technology used now was not available then.”
“I can’t think of anything not done that we wanted to do,” said the sheriff.
