Sheriff Creates Plan To Alleviate Jail Overcrowding

The sheriff’s department says that it’s crucial that something should be done about the overcrowding of Nueces County Jail.

Currently, there are 1,020 beds in the facility and there are 997 inmates being housed there at this time, which means there are only 23 beds available for incoming inmates. The situation could put the sheriff’s department in a bind if there’s a large raid or drug bust. Currently, the sheriff’s department is proposing a plan to reduce the overcrowding by 10 percent.

It might cost taxpayers more money, but the sheriff’s office says they’re already doing things now to help keep the population down.

“The judges are placing people in the alternative incarceration program, which is inclusive to community service,” Capt. Stan Repka with the sheriff’s department said.

So, instead of placing offenders in jail, some judges are placing them in alternative programs which require them to do some form of community service.  The county is also transferring inmates to Texas prisons early.

“We’ve done a courtesy drop-off, so to speak, where instead of waiting for those agencies to come pick them up, we just when we need to make a run to pick someone up. We just do a courtesy drop-off,” said Repka.

They’ve already transported eight inmates in the past 10 days.The sheriff’s office is proposing options, such as placing low-risk inmates on house arrest and giving them GPS monitors. The monitors can restrict the inmates to their home and workplace based on GPS tracking.

Another idea is to convert areas in the Mckenzie Annex into rooms by adding beds; that would house an additional 96 inmates. That plan would reduce the jail population by 10 percent. All the sheriff’s office needs now is approval from the commissioners court to put this plan into action.

Online Reporter: Rashi Vats

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