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Paul Harvey 
Group: Members
Posts: 2778
Joined: Aug. 2004
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Posted on: May 11 2005,7:29 pm |
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"The pay-to-stay program also continued to bring in extra sources of revenue. For the past 18 months, the jail assessed $94,500 in fees to inmates, collecting $1,120 to date."
Is this really a good idea? Assess $94 grand to inmates!? to people that have to live in our community. If this isn't creating more crime, I don't know what does.
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~I love trolling n00bs and pwning assholes~
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| Post Number: 2
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FlyguyAL
Group: Members
Posts: 588
Joined: Mar. 2005
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Posted on: May 11 2005,8:36 pm |
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| Quote (Paul Harvey @ May 11 2005,7:29,pm) | | If this isn't creating more crime, I don't know what does. |
Think a little harder.
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| Post Number: 3
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hairhertz
Group: Members
Posts: 3489
Joined: Dec. 2004
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Posted on: May 11 2005,10:03 pm |
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as an omen, the ratio of collections to assessments doesn't look good 
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metis movement
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| Post Number: 4
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Mamma
Group: Members
Posts: 1474
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: May 11 2005,10:57 pm |
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Just a question here: how do they hope to collect this money?
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A conclusion is simply the place where you got tired of thinking.
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| Post Number: 5
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scorenix
Group: Members
Posts: 1147
Joined: Dec. 2004
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Posted on: May 11 2005,11:23 pm |
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| Quote (Mamma @ May 11 2005,10:57,pm) | | Just a question here: how do they hope to collect this money? |
They place a lien on the individual, thus preventing them from, for sure, getting a loan to purchase a house, until, that is, they pay off the lien.
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"Here is something for those who think I have not done much on my own to think about. I must then be one of the luckiest people around, and I think I am, I should then be able to keep that same luck going for the benefit of our area." - New ALEDA Executive Director Dan Dorman.
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| Post Number: 6
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danbelshan
Group: Members
Posts: 263
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: May 11 2005,11:41 pm |
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There are some confusing things in the article below. I phoned the Albert Lea Tribune to have a correction put in, but will try to correct some things here. My clarifications are in CAPITALS AND ITALICS.
County jail pulls in extra funds
By Ann Austin, Tribune staff writer
Freeborn County has been pulling in extra funds by housing inmates from other counties and through its pay-to-stay program,OUR INMATES according to a report presented to the commissioners at its meeting last week.
Since its move into new quarters seven months ago, the jail has almost doubled the number of inmates held from 47 to approximately 85 in April. Before the move, the county housed eight OF OUR inmates in Meeker County, but in April alone the jail was housing seven female inmates from Steele County.
Additional inmates pull in revenue for the jail at $55 a day. THIS IS LESS THAN IT COSTS US TO HOUSE AN INMATE PER DAY. The seven additional female inmates brought in about $9,000 for the month of April. I ASKED WHAT IT ACTUALLY COST US TO HOUSE A PRISIONER PER DAY IN OUR NEW FACILITY AND WAS TOLD BY STEVE WESTLAND THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO GET THAT NUMBER.
Commissioner Dan Belshan suggested the county increase its charges to $90 a day to bring in more revenue. NO, I DIDN'T. SINCE OUR JAIL POPULATION SEEMS TO BE STABILIZING AT AROUND 70 TO 80 I ASKED HOW MANY TOTAL PRISONERS ( OURS AND FROM OTHER COUNTIES )WE COULD HAVE IN THE JAIL TO INCREASE OUR REVENUE WITHOUT INCREASING STAFF. STEVE WESTLAND ANSWERED 90. PRISONERS NOT DOLLARS.
The jail could raise fees to more than $100 a day, said Jail Administrator Steve Westland, but would have to buy more equipment and mattresses to warrant the cost. Increasing the price may also cause inmates to be sent to other counties that charge less for pay-to-stay, he said. I THINK HE SAID IF WE INCREASE OUR JAIL POPULATION TO MORE THAN 100 INMATES A DAY WE WOULD NEED MORE EQUIPMENT. AGAIN PRISONERS NOT DOLLARS.
Another benefit of the new jail is more local offenders are serving time.
Before the move to the new facility, the jail had a backlog of more than 100 people, but gradually, people have been serving their time and the jail will likely be caught up by the middle of June, Westland said. I SAID WE SHOULD RENT THE EMPTY BEDS TO OTHER COUNTIES TO INCREASE REVENUE, AS EVEN AT THE RATE OF 45 TO 50 DOLLARS A DAY. THAT WAY WE WOULD LOSE LESS.
The pay-to-stay program THIS IS SOMETHING WE ARE TRYING WITH OUR INMATES, NOT THOSE OF OTHER COUNTIES also continued to bring in extra sources of revenue. For the past 18 months, the jail assessed $94,500 in fees to inmates, collecting $1,120 to date. ALTHOUGH I ORIGINALLY VOTED FOR THIS TEST PROGRAM, I AM NOW OPPOSED TO IT. AFTER SPEAKING WITH INMATES AND THEIR FAMILIES I THINK IT CAN ADD THE STIGMA OF BAD CREDIT AND HARASSMENT FROM COLLECTION AGENCIES TO THE PUNISHMENT OF INCARCERATION. AND AS THE FIGURES SHOW, IT IS NOT WORKING.
Though the program may not end up bringing in a lot of additional revenue, jail administrators hope it will be beneficial in the long run and discourage people from spending time in the jail.
IN CONCLUSION ABOUT RENTING JAIL BEDS TO OTHER COUNTIES; WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THE SAME THING I POINTED OUT YEARS AGO AS HAPPENING IN WISCONSIN, THE MORE JAILS BEING BUILT THE MORE THE BED RENT GOES DOWN. I THINK WE SHOULD BE RENTING AS MANY BEDS TO OTHER COUNTIES AS WE CAN AND CONTACTING ALL SURROUNDING COUNTIES TO HAVE THEM CONTRACT WITH US. OUR JAIL STAFF COSTS ARE FIXED, AND EMPTY BEDS ARE WASTED REVENUE MUCH LIKE EMPTY HOTEL ROOMS OR VACANT AIRLINE SEATS. AS MORE COUNTIES BUILD JAILS THE ONES WHO DON'T BUILD WILL HAVE THE LOWEST COSTS EVEN IF THEY RENT BEDS AND HAVE TO TRANSPORT PRISONERS. WE ALREADY HAVE A LARGE JAIL. WE NEED TO MAKE LEMONADE.
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Go to danbelshan.com for my newsletters.
Go to Dan Belshan on facebook to get the latest.
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| Post Number: 7
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Paul Harvey
Group: Members
Posts: 2778
Joined: Aug. 2004
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Posted on: May 12 2005,12:14 pm |
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Wow, Ann Austin is REALLY scratching the counties back isn't she!
Not only does she attempt show we are getting a good return for our 40$ million dollar expenditure but manages to diss Belshan at the same time!
That's like kissing two arses at once! 
The whole purpose of the article is to attempt to justify the jail cost. Ann Austin's articles are just meaningless propaganda...
...and they wonder why we call it "the fish wrap" 
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~I love trolling n00bs and pwning assholes~
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| Post Number: 8
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ICU812
Group: Super Administrators
Posts: 3244
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: May 12 2005,12:22 pm |
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100% agreed PH
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| Post Number: 9
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hairhertz
Group: Members
Posts: 3489
Joined: Dec. 2004
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Posted on: May 12 2005,1:31 pm |
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agreeing with Paul, also
glad to see that Rep Dan thinks the collection ratio shows that the assessments don't work
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metis movement
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| Post Number: 10
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Paul Harvey
Group: Members
Posts: 2778
Joined: Aug. 2004
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Posted on: May 12 2005,2:25 pm |
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Suppose an individual makes a mistake like growing cannabis for his own use, driving drunk for the second time in 10 years..arguing with a girlfriend etc and finds himself in the legal system. There are thousands in this county alone...
And he serves his time and is released. Instead of a fresh start, he finds that because of the jails assessments, and his record, (credit, criminal record check) he can't rent an apartment, public or private and can't get a loan from a bank and has great difficulty getting auto insurance or a job.
Now, instead of a hand up and out of the hole, we've created a situation where the person becomes desperate and thus, more likely to reoffend. We feed the machine...feed the system and it grows and consumes more of our civil rights.
-----and now...you know the rest of the story....
-----Paul Harvey...Good day!
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~I love trolling n00bs and pwning assholes~
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