By Tom Davidson
Beaver County Times
HOPEWELL TWP. — “I’m sick.”
It’s a long-standing excuse people use to get out of things like school and work.
It can also be used by Beaver County Jail inmates as an excuse to get out of jail, at least for a trip to the doctor or hospital, but it comes at a price that’s ultimately paid by county taxpayers.
The issue was on the minds of the Beaver County Prison Board Thursday, as county officials are trying to curb all costs in a tough budget year.
In February, one county jail inmate was admitted to the hospital, 11 were taken to the emergency room and 20 were taken for outside medical visits.
The trips cost the county money each year as deputy sheriffs are charged with transporting and guarding the inmates during their time away from jail.
In February, deputies made 30 trips from the jail, transporting 34 prisoners, said Dean Michael, chief deputy to Sheriff Tony Guy, at a cost of $4,500 to $5,500.
A trip to a doctor’s office or hospital can take two hours if it’s local or most of a workday if it involves a trip to Pittsburgh, Michael said.
It costs more if the transport is done after hours or when a regularly schedule deputy isn’t available and another person needs to be called in, he said. If a person is admitted to the hospital and has to be guarded, it can cost $500 to $800 a day in wages to do the job, Michael said.
The prison board has been discussing the issue since January in light of a countywide budget crunch.
Warden Bill Schouppe and Guy have been discussing ways to transport inmates more efficiently that could include transferring the responsibility to corrections officers. They would need to be trained, but there could be a cost savings by going that route, Commissioner Daniel Camp, who chairs the prison board, said.
The jail is also looking at adding an electrocardiogram (EKG) machine that could discourage transporting prisoners who aren’t sick.
Inmates use chest pains as a common excuse to seek treatment and some fake seizures, Schouppe said.
The problem is that jail personnel have to err on the side of caution, even if they suspect an inmate is faking it, Schouppe said.
It’s only being raised because of its cost, Guy said.
“Our main aspect is that each person is treated humanely,” said Judge Kim Tesla, who represents the court on the prison board.
“You can’t from a human perspective risk that you are guessing wrong,” Tesla said. “It’s a cost no matter what.”
Schouppe and Guy are going to report back to the board about how other counties address the issue.
Copyright 2016 the Beaver County Times