Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 27, 1992 TAG: 9202270175
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B4 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER SOUTHWEST BUREAU
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
REGIONAL JAIL PANEL WANTS EXEMPTION
The General Assembly may be about to throw a roadblock in the path of a regional jail, just when the momentum was building for one in Southwest Virginia.Budget bills in both the state Senate and House of Delegates contain a moratorium on state funding for regional jails until July 1, 1994.
"That makes the effort we're trying to undertake a little more difficult, to say the least," Radford Assistant City Manager Roy Lloyd Jr. told representatives of localities studying the idea Wednesday.
The Wythe County supervisors voted this month to join Pulaski, Floyd and Radford in funding its share of a needs-assessment study, the first step toward a regional jail. Bland County has made no decision about whether to join.
The regional committee also may approach Giles and Carroll counties about the venture. "The more people that we get into this, up to a point, the cheaper it's going to be," Lloyd said.
He suggested contacting Del. Tommy Baker, R-Radford, who could set up a meeting with legislators representing the other localities about either exempting the region from the moratorium or introducing special legislation next year to fund its jail.
"We could meet with them in the morning, day or night or whatever time they choose. How would you like to proceed on it?" Lloyd asked.
"Go," replied Wythe County Supervisor Jack Crosswell.
The localities also will ask their circuit judges to contact the legislators about the need for state funding and the need for speed on a regional jail.
"We can't wait four years, or even two years, to begin this," Lloyd said. "It's costing us about twice as much to keep a prisoner in jail for one day as it does to educate a child for one day."
Jails in the region are overcrowded, facing increasing state regulations and, in many cases, are simply too old.
"Mine was built in '33 and I guess, at the time, it looked pretty good. But times change and needs change," said Larry Falls, the Giles sheriff.
One concern is that, at any time, a locality could find itself cited by state jail inspectors or circuit judges and have to fund a new or improved jail by themselves. Cost estimates for that are much higher than those for sharing in a regional jail.
"There is about a $12 million swing between the maximum and the minimum that the localities would have to put out," Lloyd said. "And that's just construction. It has nothing to do with operation . . . and it's a little scary."