Lake County Adult Detention Facilities

The Lake County Adult Detention Facilities processed 6,450 inmates into its two jail facilities in 2005. Its daily average of inmates housed for the Lake County Courts reached a daily population average of 310, the highest level ever in the history of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Based on the statistics of the previous 10 years it is an indicator of the housing dilemma our Correctional system will face in the coming years.

In 2005 the Corrections Division booked and processed 6,450 inmates. This is an annual increase of 1,145 bookings over the 1993 mark of 5,305. The daily population average between the Maximum Security Facility ( 104 east Erie Street ) and Minimum Security Facility (2025 Blase-Nemeth Road) reached a level at 358 inmates housed per day, the 4^th highest level in the jail’s history. ( Reference the 2005 Housing Report for overview )

While the male inmate population average dropped from the record 2002 level of 332 male inmates per day down to 299 male inmates per day in 2005, the female average daily population continued to grow to record levels at 59 female inmates housed per day in 2005. This significant rise in the female population marked a 95% rise from the its 1993 level of 30 per day.

The average Lake County inmates being housed on Lake County charges ( i.e. not being housed for agencies outside of Lake County ) reached a new record level in 2005 when we averaged 310 Lake County inmates per day, a 50% increase over the 1993 level of 206 per day.

Lt. Cynthia Brooks reports a successful year at the Minimum Security jail facility which opened in February of 2001. In 2005 the Pay For Stay program collected a total pay in of $ 67,830.85. In 2005, 208 male work release and 27 female work release have participated in the Pay For Stay program. The program collected between $1,000.00 to $8,000.00 a month which is deposited into the general fund each month. In 2004 a total of 479 inmates participated in the work release program compared to 449 for the year 2005. In 2004, 234 males and 29 females participated and in 2005, 208 males and 27 females participated in the work release program. A total of 9 inmates in 2005 were released each day to continue their high school or college education. The total average daily headcount of the minimum jail is 37 inmates per day with 17 male work release, 16 minimum inmates and 4 prisoner workers. The average stay was 30 days for a total of 49 felons and 169 misdemeanors that were housed in the Minimum facility for the year 2005.

In 2005 we averaged 44 Marshal inmates per day, as well as 5 Out-Of-County inmates per day. This housing program has helped off-set the significant expenses the jail facilities face in housing today’s inmate populations.

            In 2005 the Lake County Correctional Facilities generated returned revenue through a number of sources to off-set Correctional costs:

    Returned $1,146,621.08 to the General Fund of Lake County from rented bed space
    ▸      Since 1993 $23,530,194 million dollars has been generated and returned to the General
             Fund through rented bed space

    Returned $336,934 to the General Fund of Lake County from inmate phone commissions
    ▸      Since 1993 $3,143,273 has been generated and returned to the General Fund through inmate phone
             commissions

    Returned $67,830.85 to the General Fund of Lake County from MSJ Pay-For-Stay Program.
    ▸     Since 2001 $368,622 has been generated and returned to the General Fund through the MSJ
            Pay-For-Stay program

Note: In total, since 1993, $27,042,088 has been returned to the General Fund of Lake County through billing
programs in the Correctional Facilities. ( Reference the 2005 Billing Reports for overview )

The increased jail populations have directly effected many aspects of Correctional management. Medical and Mental Health are examples which witnessed significant increases in demand for services.

In 2005 the dispensary of the jail over 6,102 inmates were seen by the doctor and nurses in the jail dispensary. This is an average of 509 inmates seen per month. Besides the daily medical problems that normally exist ( colds, flu, etc) the medical staff treated health conditions such as: numerous pregnant females at one time, daily maintenance of numerous diabetic inmates requiring daily insulin injections, treatment of inmates with HIV and/or AIDS, gun shot wounds received prior to incarceration, heart problems, an aging inmate population, and dental treatment. Jail Physician Dr. Carla Baster, and medical programming co-ordinator Anne Takacs, RN, as well as Jane Lunceford, RN, Rhonda Webb, RN, and Carolyn Barbish, LPN worked together to insure the best possible medical treatment to an inmate population that did not have a very good history of medical maintenance and care prior to their incarceration. They made such achievements through the best possible cost containment measures available to them without reducing the necessary quality of care that helped this facility achieve State certification. ( Reference the 2005 Medical Services Report for overview)

The cost of medical services declined in 2005 to $514,307, a decrease of about $90,000 over 2002. Yet is serves as a constant reminder of the increasing cost of medical programming in the coming years. Pressing issues in 2006 include responding to growing demands by the judiciary to provide 24 hour medical care by licensed doctors and nursing staff, as well as the continual plague of frivolous jail litigation by inmates. The Medical Staff continues to work diligently to reduce the costs of medical services. By working with the ADAMHS Board and Neighboring they have continued the connection to the Central Pharmacy in Columbus. Since its inception approximately one year and half ago using this connection they were able to obtain 212 prescriptions. The cost was paid for by the Ohio Department of Mental Health, saving Lake County $28,412.

Unfortunately, the Correctional Facilities continue to witness a dramatic increase in the mental health needs of the expanded inmate population. The Mental Health professionals received over 1,734 referrals. The part-time psychiatrist contracted to the jail was called in to consult on 232 individuals on 399 occassions due to the seriousness of their mental health conditions. ( Reference the 2005 Mental Health Services Report for overview )
Yet, the jail remains committed to the mission of Sheriff Dan Dunlap to return inmates back to society better then when they first came to our doors. To this end the Corrections facilities continued in 2005 to develop and expand programming intended to meet such goals.

In 2005 Inmate Programming and Services continued to grow in the number of volunteers participating in Inmate Programming under the co-ordination of Lt. Kenneth Lorenz. In 2005 145 volunteers from outside of the facility donated 2,600 hours of service to the Correctional Facilities, serving a weekly average of 303 inmates. In total the combined attendance at all inmate programming throughout 2005 equaled 15,801 inmates. They provided such valuable services as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Men and Women’s bible study, Non-Denominational Church services, Catholic Church services, Library Services, GED Programming, and Men’s A.A. Recovery programming. ( Reference the 2003 Inmate Programming Report for overview )

Jail Services continued such programming through Anger Management Education groups and Anger Management Therapy provided by Western Reserve Counseling. Neighboring and Adult Probation assisted through Chemical Dependancy Aftercare, as well as Mental Health Counseling and Consultation. Much of this was paid for through a grant through the local ADAMS Board. ( Reference the 2005 Jail Services Report for overview )

In August 1993 the Jail Treatment program was established to reduce recidivism related to chemical

dependancy ( Drugs and Alcohol ), as well as other related behaviors. Further, it was established to link dependant inmates to services intended to increase their chances for recovery through services such as mental health, anger management, and community based rehabilitation programs. In 2005 a total of 336 inmates completed the program. ( Reference the 2005 Jail Treatment for overview ).

Training is key to the development of the detention facilities, as well as the best defense possible in achieving the safe and secure operations of the jails. The State of Ohio demands that all Correction Officers receive 24 hours of in-service training each year. Given the fact that there are 106 Correction Officers this translates to 2,544 hours of training. Such a demand could exert an enormous financial burden on the Sheriff’s budget should such required training not be approached in an innovative manner. I am happy to report that Officers received in excess of 45 hours of in-service training each, totaling nearly 4,680 hours of in-service training at a cost of less then $7,000. Translated, this is a cost of about .51 cents per training hour. (Reference the 2005 Training Report for Training overview ). This training and financial success is due to the innovation of the Corrections Division Training Team members who used their skills to provide cost effective quality training to increase the professionalism of our staff.
( Reference the 2005 Training Report for overview )

Such collaborative efforts as I have highlighted here illustrate the dedication of the members of the Corrections Division to meet the growing demands placed on it with an expanding jail population. Such confidence is marked by the proven excellence and dedication of the men and women that make up the Corrections staff ( Correction Officers, Doctors, Nurses, Cooks, Counselors, Maintenance Staff...). Our success is truly possible only through their efforts, labored over 24 hours day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Thanks to all of them, Corrections is working in Lake County, Ohio !