Appears little happening on incarceration research

As many know, Washington County Sheriff Tim Helder has requested $38 million to fund an expansion of the county jail. The jail is overcrowded, inmates are sleeping on mattresses on the floor. If this is an over-population problem, a larger facility is the answer. However, if the issue is over-incarceration, it is only prudent to understand the practices that are causing the problem.

While the sheriff has shown long- term competence in executing the responsibilities of his office, he has acknowledged that evaluating our criminal justice system is beyond his purview. The system is complex. This is the work of others.

On July 23 of this year, in full support of the need, the Washington County Quorum Court allocated $100,000 for an independent audit and evaluation. Management of this allocation and its attendant responsibilities is in the hands of Judge Joseph Wood.

Within a month of the court’s allocation, the sheriff submitted an additional proposal for partial inmate accommodations, again at a cost of millions. But first things first. Until the Quorum Court and residents of Washington County are fully apprised of the efficacy of our criminal justice system, the answer to inmates sleeping on the floor will continue to elude us.

Is the judge executing the task with which he has been charged? We don’t know. Has the judge commissioned an impartial audit? We don’t know. Has he begun the process? Again, we don’t know.

Expedience is critical. As the issue matters to every resident of Washington County, we are right to expect transparency. Where do things stand? Judge Wood needs to speak up.

DALE HEATH

Fayetteville