By C1 Staff
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Overcrowding of state inmates across Arkansas counties is leaving only the most serious offenders spending time behind bars, pushing low-level county offenders out of jails.
Pulaski County prosecutor Larry Jegley calls it “catch and release” law enforcement where small time offenders, like burglars, are being turned loose and there’s no sign of it changing any time soon, according to THV11.
“I don’t see any short-term solution quite honestly,” he said. “We are issuing the equivalent of traffic tickets to serious felony offenders… That’s what it’s come to in what’s come to be known as ‘catch and release’ out on the streets with our law enforcement officers.”
Pulaski County Sheriff Doc Halladay says the state is over capacity by about 700 prisoners, plus 2,500 state prisoners housed in county jails.
“I can tell you there are a lot of frustrated sheriff’s across the state. We have plenty of jail beds at this facility for this county, but the problem is that we’re holding so many inmates that should not be here because they are, in actuality, the property of another government agency and we can’t get rid of them.”
Holladay is concerned about the county’s budget, as well as the safety of his staff. The release of low-level offenders is the only way they can combat overcrowding in their facility.
“The problem is not that we need more beds,” he said. “We have plenty of beds if we didn’t have this backlog of state inmates in this facility.”