CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State Regional Jail Authority Director Joe DeLong told state lawmakers Monday there may already be one unattended consequence of the state’s new prison overcrowding law.
DeLong said the Regional Jail Authority is starting to see a “strong trend” of orders from circuit judges that not only require the regional jails to transport inmates to county drug courts but to stay with them during the time they are there.
“That is something that is very new and it’s not something that is part of what the authority has been statutorily obligated to do,” DeLong said.
More and more of the state’s 55 counties are opening drugs courts to give inmates a chance for early release. The new law, passed earlier this year, requires all counties to have drug courts by 2016.
DeLong said if the current trend continues the jail authority’s personnel costs will “increase significantly.”
“We would have to have additional vehicles, additional transport officers, especially if you look at a jail like North Central Regional Jail that serves six counties,” according to DeLong.
The director also warned the additional costs could also drive up daily rates counties pay the authority for housing inmates.
“I think that’s something that certainly we’re going to have to take a look at before we continue down the road. It could really drive our transportation costs through the roof and it’s something I believe that’s probably completely unintended,” DeLong said.
The jail director also told lawmakers he has yet to speak with the state Supreme Court, which is in charge of the drug courts, about the issue.