Jail Overcrowding In Potter County

Potter county has just set a record. The only problem is that this was a record they would rather not have set. They just set the record for the most inmates ever incarcerated in the Potter County Detention Center ( or county jail as it would be known in most other counties). The jail now has 624 inmates.

This may not seem like a large number to those living in large urban areas, but the jail was only built to house 596 inmates. That means 28 prisoners are currently sleeping on the floor in overcrowded cells. The only saving grace is that they are not scheduled to be inspected by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards until next month.

But never fear. Potter county commissioners raced to the rescue. They quickly approved the spending of $18,000 to place 10 prisoners on electronic monitoring. Perhaps you are as confused as I am. By my math, this still leaves the jail overcrowded.

This is also not a new problem. The jail has been running at or over capacity for a while now -- so much so that at times they have refused to take new prisoners arrested on misdemeanors or blue warrants. This is clearly an ongoing problem that county commissioners must address in a more comprehensive manner.

I only see four solutions to this problem, and none of them are great. But one or more of them must be done, because it doesn't look like the jail population problem will magically solve itself. Here they are:

1. Build a new jail.

2. Build an addition to the existing jail.

3. Pay another county to house the overflow.

4. Let more prisoners out on Personal Recognizance or greatly reduced bonds.

The first three are expensive options. The fourth could upset the public. But something must be done. The current situation cannot be allowed to go on much longer.