Our Current Jail Operations
Put the tax dollars into a new Juvenile Detention Facility
The current Sheriff has requested several million additional dollars in his budget next year to build a jail annex. Why?
The first thing to do is to stop holding inmates that do not belong to Benton County. These Federal and State prisoners are in Benton County because other counties lack jail space. They are inmates arrested and convicted in other counties in Arkansas. They are using much needed bed space in our jail. Instead of terminating that assistance program, the current Sheriff wants to build an annex to house inmates arrested in Benton County. He is turning away suspected criminals because there is no bed space…Go figure!
The second thing to do is to put the “tough” back in the reputation of the jail. One of Benton County’s best tools in fighting crime is the jail and its reputation. If you run a tough, firm, and fair jail, criminals will not commit crimes in this county. Many times inmates actually cried when they realized they were arrested in Benton County. Warranted criminals would flee to the coastal states hoping to avoid extradition back into Benton County Arkansas. They did not want to serve time in Benton County Jail. A tough jail will never be a full jail. Inmates who can make bond will and those who cannot will spread the word to stay out of Benton County.
We do not need more jail space. We need to stop holding prisoners arrested outside of Benton County. I compare the welcoming of more and more prisoners from other counties with the failure to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into the country. My question would be to the current Sheriff and members of the Quorum Court, Where do we draw the line?
Efficiency of operation and executing the original policies used when the jail first opened will make the need for expansion obsolete. We can better serve our community by putting our tax dollars where there is a real need, that is, a new Juvenile Detention Facility.