On December 14, 2009 the  Lake County Minimum Security Detention Facility was closed due to budget reductions at the Lake County Sheriff's Office.  In 2010 the Sheriff's Office was cut 1.5 Million Dollars from its operating budget.  This substantial reduction forced the closing of this facility, and the lay-off of 13 Corrections Officers.

          When it was established the mission of the Lake County Minimum Security Detention Facility was to provide the highest return to tax payer investment in incarceration.  The combination of incarceration, treatment programs, and continued work during their time in jail offers society the best opportunity to return the offender back to the community better than when they first arrived. 

            Due to the growing jail population in Lake County there was a need for a second facility to be built. The Local Lake County Corrections Planning Board made up of Judges, Law Enforcement, Prosecutors, Public Defenders, Commissioners, Probation and other local officials began planning for solutions to the growing population in Lake County.  The Lake County Minimum Security Facility freed up bed space to house serious offenders at the Maximum facility who pose a threat to the safety and security of the community. 

            The majority of the inmates housed in the minimum facility were involved in the work release program that permitted offenders to leave the facility each day and work in the community. That program gave them the opportunity to continue to provide for their families financially while they were serving time in jail.  The work release offenders were also required to participate in the Pay For Stay program which went into effect April of 2001.  Work release were required to reimburse the county for a portion of housing while incarcerated.   They are required to pay 20% of their net wages as defined in the Ohio Revised Code 341.19. Note, this program has continued since the inmates were returned to be housed in the main jail at 104 East Erie Street.

         

2009 ANNUAL REPORT – MINIMUM, SECURITY JAIL
Lt. Gregory Reid 

     In 2009 the Pay for Stay program collected a total of $56,690.00 for the year and a total pay in of $611.133.08 since April 1, 2001.  In 2009, 144 male work releases and 19 female work releases have participated in the Pay for Stay program.  The program collected $3,450.00 to $6,326.00 a month which is deposited into the general fund each month.   The difference in the amounts collected per year is due to a decrease in inmate population participating in work release, other options in lieu of jail time and the economy.  A total of 2 work releases lost their jobs during or after being incarceration. A total of 5 declined to be on work release because they could not afford to pay the 20% of their net earnings.  A total of 17 work releases were pulled from the program, of the 17 nine (9) were female and eight (8) male work releases inmates.

     In 2009 a total of 456 inmates participated in following programs, AA meeting, Anger Management and Chemical Dependence at the MSJ, with another 328 that attended the aftercare program in the evening.  In 2008, 179 males and 20 females were in the work release program.

     Inmates that walk away from the work release or school release program are charged with escape.  In 2009 there were 0 inmates absent with out Leave (AWOL) compared to in 2008, which had a total of 7 inmates that were (AWOL) and all were charged accordingly.

     A total of 7 inmates in 2009 were released each day to continue their high school or college education.  In 2008 a total of 4 inmates participated in the school release program.  These inmates are not required to pay for their stay however, they are required to participate in other inmate programming.

     Other offenders that were housed in the facility participated in the community service program.  They were required to perform tasks for all types of governmental and non-profit agencies during the day.  In the evenings, they received drug and alcohol treatment counseling, anger management classes, AA, NA, and other educational programming to help them return to the community better than when they first arrived.  Also for 2009 a new program was started called transitional day reporting were offenders complete a 30 day program in which they can go out with some supervision to find a job and housing a total of three offenders completed the program.  This program will continue in the main jail.

      Offenders that participated in the Jail Treatment Program at the Maximum facility continued to receive treatment through Drug and Alcohol treatment counselors for their drug and alcohol problems.   All offenders received Anger Management classes which helped curb the tendencies of being violent towards their families and members of society. With the continued and aftercare counseling this meant offenders are less likely to drive while intoxicated, less likely to use and sell drugs in our communities, less likely to use violence against a spouse, their children, or others and return home a better person.

     In Mid-August 2009 the Common Pleas Court Judges started a new program through their Probation department; the program was named “Transitional Day Reporting” or TDR for short, and those inmates were assigned to the MSJ during this program.  The TDR program is a thirty (30) program to help probationers with their release from correctional settings. This program will help assist the probationers with their daily schedules so they can become productive members of society while holding the probation accountable for their daily activity.  Eligible probationer has to be court ordered into this program, considered a low risk to community and have no pending charges or warrants. 

     In 2009 there were a total of ten (10) male inmates that were assigned to the TDR program, and the program has continued after the MJS closed down in mid-December moving back to the Maximum facility.

    The total average daily headcount of the minimum jail is 34 inmates per day with 15 male work release, 13 minimum inmates and 5 prisoner workers.  The average stay was 24 days for a total of 37 felons and 130 misdemeanors that were housed in the Minimum facility for the year 2009.

2006 ANNUAL REPORT

2005 ANNUAL REPORT