Sep 28, 2006 By Amy Zalar 4 min read

The Fayette County Prison Board took action Wednesday aimed at reducing the escalating population at the Fayette County Prison. A two-part motion by Commission Chairwoman Angela M. Zimmerlink was approved to first, acknowledge certain steps have been taken to address the overcrowding issue such as reviewing proposals and studies and participating in summits; and second, to recommend to the

Fayette County Criminal Justice Advisory Board and county commissioners to implement alternative programs, treatments and sentences as a way to correct criminal behavior and ultimately address the overcrowding issue.

“It’s a progression of steps to get to a final decision,” Zimmerlink said. Once the advisory board makes recommendations to the county commissioners, action can be taken to deal with the problem.

The motion was voted on after Warden Larry Medlock reported that for the first time in a long time there are no inmates housed out of county this month. Medlock said the population has stayed down in September, with the exception of the number of female inmates, which stood at 30 on Wednesday, or eight over capacity. Medlock said the average population of 216 inmates for September was the lowest since July of 2003.

As of Wednesday, Medlock said the population included 188 males and 30 females, for a total of 218 inmates.

Zimmerlink said although it was good news that the population was down, everyone would probably agree that the population wouldn’t necessarily stay low. She said the overcrowding has been a problem since long before she took office in January 2004. She said although numerous studies have been done and proposals have been heard, steps need to be taken to address the issue.

“We are seeking out reports, hopefully reading them and that’s it,” Zimmerlink said. She said the report completed a few months ago gives specific recommendations to combat recidivism that should be followed.

Zimmerlink said the recommendations include implementing alternative sentencing programs like the counties of Allegheny and Blair have. In those counties, Zimmerlink said the programs are funding using grant money, and Fayette County may be able to get grant money as well.

Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites agreed that the recommendations in the report should be implemented. “We need to bring them before the criminal justice advisory board and implement them systematically,” Vicites said.

District Attorney Nancy Vernon said a lot of plans have already been implemented aimed at reducing the prison population. She said cooperation between her office and the public defender’s office has combined to cause a decrease in the population. Regarding alternative housing, Vernon said she has always been in favor of that.

Vicites mentioned that Mount Saint Macrina runs a treatment center for women and has said they would run a center for men if they were provided a building from which to operate the center.

Controller Mark Roberts said the county could absorb up to $200,000 annually if out-of-county cell rental fees are eliminated. Roberts said he supports the idea of a “halfway house.”

Zimmerlink said the idea behind the motion is to get the issue out of the hands of the prison board and into the hands of the criminal justice advisory board, which can in turn make recommendations to the county commissioners, who can then act.

Vicites said ultimately the commissioners have to budget for and implement anything that is recommended.

Among the proposals have been construction of a new prison, alternative housing and work release programs, and renovation of the current jail facility.

In personnel action, the prison board accepted the resignation of full-time corrections officer Brent Roberts and approved hiring Kevin Lock as a full-time corrections officer. The board also voted to hire Andrew Kapacko and Christopher Nicklow as part-time corrections officers. Medlock conducted the interviews.

After the motions to hire the new officers, there was a brief discussion regarding the interviewing process. Vernon and Roberts both said they enjoyed participating in the interviewing process, and said they would do so again, provided they are available. Medlock said he was agreeable to that request.