Average daily jail population decreased in 2015

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MECHANICSBURG – The average daily population for the Tri-County Regional Jail decreased in 2015, according to jail Executive Director Scott Springhetti.

During the Jan. 7 Tri-County Corrections Commission meeting, Springhetti said the jail’s average daily population for 2015 was 150 total inmates, including 116 males and 33 females.

Springhetti said the jail averaged 163 total inmates in 2014. He noted the jail’s female population was still overpopulated in 2015 as the jail’s rated capacity is 24.

The jail’s lowest month for average daily population was in March with an average of 140 inmates, and the highest was in December with an average of 168.

The jail had its lowest daily population numbers on March 31 and April 1, 2015, with 126 total inmates, while the highest number was 191 total inmates on Dec. 23, 2015. A total of 3,967 inmates were booked into the jail last year with the average length of stay being 11 days.

Springhetti said the non-member per diem rate for housing inmates will be $74.44 a day per inmate. This fee for housing non-member inmates was established in July 2014.

As of the morning of Jan. 7, Champaign County accounted for 37 of the 168 total inmates in the jail. Madison County had 66 inmates on that date and Union County had 65 inmates in custody.

Champaign County accounted for 14 of the 16 total inmates on electronic monitoring.

Commission continues body scanner talks

Springhetti updated the commission on the jail’s continued research into body scanners. Previously, the commission discussed potentially purchasing a body scanner during the Nov. 5, 2015, meeting.

At the most recent meeting, Springhetti said three companies have been awarded bids for body scanners in Ohio. When jail personnel visited the Hamilton County Jail a few months ago, he said their unit was provided by ProActive Technology Solutions while Wood County recently awarded a bid to OD Security.

According to information provided to the commission, the OD Security project was bid at $118,750, while Adani and ProActive had bids of $133,995 and $214,434.04, respectively.

Springhetti said the physical footprint of the scanner is one of the jail’s biggest concerns if one is purchased.

“Most of these are large machines. We don’t have a large area to place them,” Springhetti said. “We’ve kind of identified a room where if we were able to get one we would use that room.”

When asked how frequently the scanner would be used, Springhetti said the jail would scan all new inmates and work release inmates.

The commission authorized Springhetti to issue a request for proposal for a body scanner and to report back to them during the March 3 meeting.

In other action, the commission approved a motion to increase Springhetti’s and Assistant Director Drew Hildebrand’s salaries for 2016 in the amount of $3,200 from the salaries that were reestablished for 2015.

According to Sprinhetti, his salary was $63,000 in 2015, while Hildebrand’s was $56,000.

The motion called for the increases to be carried retroactively to be effective as of Jan. 1.

By Nick Walton

[email protected]

Nick Walton can be reached at 937-652-1331 Ext. 1777 or on Twitter @UDCWalton.

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