Why Has The Jail Spent More Than $100,000.00 Over Budget?
At a recent Budget Committee Meeting it was announced that the jail was more than $100,000.00 over budget. How could this happen, was no one watching the books?
Chief Deputy Chapman explained the situation in fine detail and it’s not pretty. The reason the jail is so far over budget is the medical cost incurred treating prisoners. A female prisoner seems to have convinced herself that it’s her responsibility to get pregnant and the county taxpayer’s responsibility to pay her medical bills. Of five children she has had I’m told three including the one she is currently pregnant with were gifts from the county taxpayers. As of Friday this person was still in St. Thomas Hospital racking up thousands of dollars a day in hospital costs and overtime for deputies that have to continue guarding her around the clock. The story was told had one time this woman was forced out of the jail on probation, against her will, in an effort to avoid the county having to pay for yet another baby. She is said to have told deputies upon leaving that she would be back that the county would pay. After leaving the jail she went straight to a convenience store and robbed them then sat and waited for the police to come get her. She basically was back in jail before the paper work for her release was completed.
It seems that some have learned to work the system so well and the justice system has become so broken that people are going to jail for their medical and dental care. If you do meth until your teeth rot out the county is obligated to get you new ones or fix the ones you have. A five or six thousand dollar dental bill is not that unusual. If you have a serious illness simply commit a crime and go to jail for free treatment.
People are being put on probation time and time again in an effort to avoid the huge medical bills being created but those who work the system know this and continue to commit crimes until they get back in the jail.
Chief Deputy Chapman explained the situation in fine detail and it’s not pretty. The reason the jail is so far over budget is the medical cost incurred treating prisoners. A female prisoner seems to have convinced herself that it’s her responsibility to get pregnant and the county taxpayer’s responsibility to pay her medical bills. Of five children she has had I’m told three including the one she is currently pregnant with were gifts from the county taxpayers. As of Friday this person was still in St. Thomas Hospital racking up thousands of dollars a day in hospital costs and overtime for deputies that have to continue guarding her around the clock. The story was told had one time this woman was forced out of the jail on probation, against her will, in an effort to avoid the county having to pay for yet another baby. She is said to have told deputies upon leaving that she would be back that the county would pay. After leaving the jail she went straight to a convenience store and robbed them then sat and waited for the police to come get her. She basically was back in jail before the paper work for her release was completed.
It seems that some have learned to work the system so well and the justice system has become so broken that people are going to jail for their medical and dental care. If you do meth until your teeth rot out the county is obligated to get you new ones or fix the ones you have. A five or six thousand dollar dental bill is not that unusual. If you have a serious illness simply commit a crime and go to jail for free treatment.
People are being put on probation time and time again in an effort to avoid the huge medical bills being created but those who work the system know this and continue to commit crimes until they get back in the jail.
posted by Allen Barrett | 7:51 PM
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