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Pretrial detention for misdemeanors contributes to Bexar jail costs

KENS-TV out of San Antonio has a short but notable item on reducing jail costs, including a suggestion by County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson for diverting nonviolent offenders:Crowded jails are costing taxpayers in Bexar County millions every year. Officials say the Bexar County Jail has an average of 4,200 inmates at any given time.About 80 percent of those inmates are repeat offenders.  As a result, the county spends about $84 million a year on incarcerating inmates."A significant chunk of those who go back and forth and back and forth are costing a ton of money with no resultant improvement in their own behavior," said Precinct 4 County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson. Adkisson is trying to come up with a way to thin out the jail population, in the hopes of easing the burden on the taxpayer...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on January 05, 2011 (boomark / email).