Fayette County Prison sees population spike
A population increase at the Fayette County Prison has its board members concerned whether it is a temporary spike or a long-term issue that would require a solution.
On Wednesday, prison board members learned that 215 males and 52 females are housed in the lockup, pushing the numbers to “uncomfortable” levels, said Warden Brian Miller.
While the prison has 262 beds, a manageable figure is 235, he added.
“By the end of the day, we plan to take 31 people to Greene County Prison,” he said, adding that other inmates, too, had been transferred over the past few weeks to permanent facilities after sentencing, but the numbers remain high.
The neighboring prison is housing eight Fayette County inmates.
Fayette County Court of Common Pleas Judge Steve P. Leskinen, a member of the prison board, noted that the population figure has escalated by 50 inmates or more over both 2015 and 2016 figures.
“Is it more people that can’t post bond or people that haven’t been tried?” he asked.
While various scenarios as to the cause was considered, Leskinen said an answer is vital to stem the overcrowding.
“That’s the kind of information we need to know, not only to manage the current population but also to decide what we need to do for a new prison,” he said. “We need to know who is in there and for what reason, and if it is something we can control or is uncontrollable.”
Miller said that he has turned over a report that details those who have committed summary offenses to the district attorney’s office to determine if some inmates could be released into a supervised program.
Miller estimated 28 names were listed but speculated only a minimal number would be eligible.
Leskinen said those incarcerated for traffic fines or failure to cut their grass may meet the guidelines, provided other crimes had not been committed.
Miller said that the inability to routinely transfer sentenced inmates to the Allegheny Prison in Pittsburgh to await permanent housing in other state facilities is also contributing to the overcrowding issue.
Last week, approximately 14 inmates were transferred, with a similar number still in the local lockup that also should be moved to the Pittsburgh prison, said Miller.
“We can’t move them until Feb. 18, as per the state (requirements),” he said.
Miller said he would review the statistics to determine any consistencies or inconsistencies that attributed to the population increase and advise the board to his findings.
Turning to other matters, the board learned that a long-overdue invoice will be paid by the prison.
According to District Attorney Rich Bower, the $12,880 amount is owed to the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Association for providing a victim notification service since 2012.
“The prior commission administration, not this administration, never paid the bill,” said Bower, adding that the amount, when paid, brings the account current to 2016. “There is going to be another $2,879 bill (for 2016).”
The county received a grant to defray the cost of the Pennsylvania Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification (PA SAVIN) in about 2008, with the county responsible for then paying for a portion of the service as time passed, said Miller following the meeting.
The PA SAVIN system utilizes input from the prison to notify crime victims of the release of the person charged with committing the crime.
While the invoice has gone unpaid, Miller said the system has remained operational.
It was unclear why the invoice had not been paid by the county.
Turning to other matters, the board discussed the need to hire additional part-time corrections officers to curb overtime by the full-time officers.
Kevin Locke, Local Union 9113 vice president, questioned the stringent use of part-timers, stating that the workers were being held to a maximum of 1,000 hours.
“They only can work two days a week,” he said. “The overtime (for full-time workers) is going to be there.”
Maintaining a part-time staff eliminates benefit costs to the county, said Commissioner and board member Vincent Vicites. “We need to get more hired.”