By Machaela Ballard
Richmond Register
RICHMOND — Although a rehabilitation program within the Madison County Detention Center would likely help decrease the ever-growing population of returning inmates, there is no room in the facility for such a program, said Jailer Doug Thomas.
The jail was nearly 100 inmates over its capacity of 195 Friday, before the normal weekend flurry of arrests. Another 30 inmates already were being housed in three out-of-county institutions.
Currently, the detention center has only one multipurpose room. It serves as a library, GED study area and space for religious services. There is simply nowhere for substance abuse services for the group that needs them most, according to Thomas.
“If I had the space, I would love to see how we could help these people out within these walls,” Thomas said of a possible drug rehab program. “It’s not just about locking them up. I know we have to get these people off the streets, but my responsibility is to also help people get out of the system, to get back on the right track.”
The majority of inmates housed in the detention center are incarcerated on drug or drug-related charges. Medical workers attend the jail 12 hours a day, and treat those with withdrawal symptoms and other problems, Thomas said. Treating symptoms instead of the people, however, will produce no changes. That only makes worse a problem that cannot be ignored, he added.
“It drives me nuts sometimes, and I wonder if I should do (this job) anymore, but I can’t walk away from these people,” Thomas said. “Everybody knows we have to get something done, but the decisions to build on (to the jail) or build a new facility don’t come from me. We were over budget (this year) and people want to point their fingers this way, but I knew we would be over budget. I see the numbers every day.”
Thomas said the state will pay more than it costs the local jail to house a state prisoner, bringing in much-needed revenue. And more beds to accommodate would also mean a greater opportunity to avoid going over budget. However, the Department of Corrections will remove state prisoners if the facility has surpassed its capacity by too much.
Without space to house the prisoners, a large chunk of revenue is lost each week simply because the jail is far too overrun. The jail no often pays to house local inmates in other facilities to keep state prisoners, but the total revenue earned is greatly diminished, the jailer added.
“We got an increase in our county budget for about $240,000 extra (for the coming fiscal year), and I hope that’s enough. When you have to pay $7,000 at three places each month just to stay under capacity, (the expense) adds up quick,” Thomas said.