PCDC Overcrowding sees first reduction in months

Jan. 7—Since August, the population of the Pulaski County Detention Center has nearly doubled its capacity. The jail has been forced to convert almost all space save the staff area at the front of the jail to sleeping quarters. With many prisoners having to sleep on mats rather than a bunk, the prisoners operate on a first-come, first-serve basis.

"They kind of police themselves. The ones who have been there the longest kind of claim the spot as someone moves out," said Pulaski County Jailer Anthony McCollum.

However, in January and December the jail has seen a dip back to pre-August numbers, demonstrating a move in the right direction.

"We've been able to find other jails and then the prisons called some up, so we've been able to disperse some of the ones we have," said Pulaski County Jailer Anthony McCollum.

Those sent to federal prison are typically non-federal offenders who have at least a few years to their sentence.

While many prisoners can be sent out to other regional jails or to a federal Kentucky prison, this cannot apply to all prisoners. About 60% of prisoners in PCDC are still awaiting trial or sentencing. They therefore cannot be sent to other facilities. About half the inmates are federal prisoners being held on behalf of the Kentucky Department of Corrections.

PCDC gets some financial assistance to house DOC inmates making the population cheaper to care for. However, keeping DOC inmates does not turn a profit, as the state only pays the jail around $34 per inmate per day.

"Not nearly enough to cover them," said McCollum with a laugh.

When asked what the DOC is doing to help the jail reduce overcrowding, McCollum said there was only so much assistance they provide.

While it's certainly great that the jail has reduced overcrowding, McCollum warns to temper expectations.

"It usually comes in spells," he said. "It just depends on the court systems and how many get sentenced and how many other jails have significant numbers reduced. It's nothing you can really depend on."

The jail can often be a revolving door. McCollum has remarked in past interviews that when a few dozen prisoners are transferred, a few dozen new prisoners quickly take their place. McCollum says this is still accurate.

So transferring prisoners to other facilities is only a temporary fix. In addition, PCDC experiences overcrowding more acutely than most jails, but it is not unique. Most jails across the Commonwealth are also experiencing massive overcrowding. Some house almost double their capacity; Bell County Detention Center population even triples their capacity

Said McCollum in a past interview, "Once we get to where we are now, we try to call them [the DOC], and they try to work with us the best they can in order to find other facilities to take the people, to take the inmates. There are only so many facilities across the state that they ship them to. Even out of the 120 counties, probably only 79 or 80 have county jails. There's really not a whole lot of places that they can send them to."

However, in a more recent interview, McCollum clarified that the DOC mainly coordinates with transfers to the prisons, and transfers between regional jails are handled mainly between jailers.

McCollum did not know how many jails in the state were even capable of taking in prisoners from other counties, and he directed the press to the DOC. The DOC would not comment and directed questions back to the jailer.

That raises the question of how the jail even can reduce population. Overcrowding affects all jails in Kentucky, but jails are run on the county level meaning state intervention is unlikely.

Despite helping to coordinate prison transfers, operating parole boards, providing inspections and recommendations at the local level, housing many of their prisoners in PCDC, and, according to McCollum, keeping a "significant say-so" over the jail, the DOC maintains total legal separation from all county jails as defined by state law.

Said the DOC, "DOC does not manage or operate county jails, they are independent facilities operated by an elected county jailer, or an administrator appointed by the county government or regional board. In accordance with KRS 441.064, DOC conducts biannual inspections of jails. Any violations noted in those inspections are addressed by the jail in a corrective action plan and our role is to monitor implementation. For any questions regarding jail operations please contact the jailer directly."

While Pulaski County's direction is uncertain and the downward slope in jail capacity is not expected, citizens can rest a little easier knowing that fewer people are sleeping on the floor of Pulaski County jail.