Today:

TOP JOBS BUSY OPTOMETRIC office's seek part-time (20-30 hrs.), experienced help, but will train th... WAREHOUSE/ Delivery Person Part Time (contingent) Home infusion pharmacy located in Allen ...  [ View All Top Jobs ] TOP AUTOS BMW 735I 1992 loaded, 225,000 miles, $1950, 734-671-5954 DODGE DAKOTA Ext. cab 1992, low miles, over $3700 invested, very good condition first. $25...  [ View All Top Autos ] TOP HOMES Flat Rock "Deerfield Estates" Doublewide on Gardeners Lot ** Beautiful 3 bdrm. ** 2 full ...  [View All Top Homes ] TOP RENTALS LINCOLN PARK 2 bdrm., newly decorated, no pets. $700 +dep. 313-980-4642 TAYLOR Near Downtown Awesome! Huge! 3 bedroom Basement Quad Level w/ Additional Family / ...  [ View All Top Rentals ] TOP MERCHANDISE PROFESSIONAL COUPLE looking to rent in Chelsea area, no children, no pets, non smokers. 23... TAYLOR 10674 Continental Dr. May 17th & 18th. 10-4. Moving sale. Furn., clothes, new books...  [ View All Top MDSE ]   View Classifieds   Submit a TopAd        or call 1-877-888-3202

	The Ypsilanti Courier A Heritage Newspaper Weekly Publication

Overcrowding ebbs and flows at jail

PUBLISHED: January 11, 2007

On Dec. 20, the Washtenaw County Jail dipped below emergency overcrowding levels for the first time since September of last year.

Advertisement

But according to Washtenaw County Sheriff Dan Minzey, that didn't last very long.

"We got out of overcrowding on Dec. 20, as of Dec. 30 we were back in it again," Minzey said.

The Office of the Sheriff has 14 days for population levels to dip below overcrowding levels until declaring a jail overcrowding emergency. The last overcrowding emergency was announced late last year.

Minzey doesn't expect the population to go down during those 14 days.

"I suppose it's possible that the population could go back down but I don't foresee that happening. I'm not seeing anything that would push the levels in that direction," Minzey said.

In an interview conducted on Friday, Minzey reported that there were 371 inmates in the jail when the count was conducted between midnight and 4 a.m., which is the lowest time period for population. The jail is built to hold 332 inmates.

"Based on historical data of the facility," Minzey said. "once the flood gates open, we'll climb well up over 400 again, unless a miracle happens."

Several months ago, county administration adopted a resolution to eliminate the practice of boarding out inmates to other facilities which was a common tool used to mitigate overcrowding in the jail.

Throughout November and December of last year, Sheriff Minzey had been turning away non-violent arrests from the jail which is statutory protected according to the Jail Overcrowding Act, Section 8 which reads, "…the sheriff shall defer acceptance for incarceration in the general population of the county jail persons sentenced to or otherwise committed to the county jail for incarceration until the county jail overcrowding state of emergency is ended…except that the sheriff shall not defer acceptance for incarceration all persons charged under sentence for or charged with violent or assaultive crimes, sex offenses, escape from prison or jail, controlled substance offenses or weapons offenses."

However, in Section 7 of the act, the sheriff is allowed to reduce sentences for non-violent offenders by up to 30 percent until the population dips below overcrowding.

Minzey has refused to do this and is standing at odds with county officials who want him to enact Section 7 in order to mitigate the overcrowding.

In a Nov. 2 interview with Sheriff Minzey he said that reducing sentences of inmates already locked in the jail would further put the community at risk.

"I really truly believe that sending people to jail is a judge's decision," Minzey said. "They are armed with more information than I am. They get to see the file and listen to testimony, they armed with the best information in order to make that decision."

"The sheriff doesn't send people to jail, the judges do."