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Main Page Glodis to bill inmates
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Posted by: PBC FL Cop

Friday, January 26, 2007 Glodis renews effort to bill inmates

Governor considering incarceration fees

By Milton J. Valencia TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
Sheriff Guy W. Glodis has renewed his call to charge jail inmates incarceration fees, seeing new hope for the controversial measure after the newly elected governor’s own consideration of the plan.

The sheriff proposed legislation allowing for incarceration fees in 2002 when he was a state senator, and he supported similar legislation when it was introduced by another legislator two years ago. The idea has been squashed each time, under the pressure of inmate advocacy groups that argued the measure would be unconstitutional.

Gov. Deval L. Patrick reignited the idea two weeks ago when he proposed a “public safety fee” for convicted criminals to help pay to hire 1,000 new police officers, part of a campaign promise the governor made in the fall election.

The idea, presented to the Massachusetts Municipal Association, was quickly denounced by inmate advocacy groups that argued inmates have no money as it is, and that they already face other fees. Anyone convicted faces a $90 victim witness assessment fee and in drug cases must pay a $150 drug assessment fee. Those needing a court-appointed lawyer must pay a $150 fee, and those with an outstanding warrant against them must pay at least $50 to have the warrant removed.

Many times, those fees are passed on to inmates’ families or girlfriends, the advocates said.

“It makes good headlines, but it’s passing the cost of government on to poor peoples’ back,” said Michael S. Hussey, head of the local public defender’s office.

“The vast overwhelming majority of people who go to jail don’t have a penny to their names,” he said.

The governor’s proposal was criticized soon after he announced it, and there’s been little talk of the plan since. José Martínez, a spokesman for the governor’s office, said no legislation has been filed, but that the proposal is still under consideration.

Yesterday, the sheriff praised the governor’s plan in the face of opposition. He said it would lay a sense of responsibility on inmates while at the same time helping to boost state coffers.

“It’s long overdue,” the sheriff said. “It’s about inmates taking full responsibility, not only socially, but economically.”

Sheriff Glodis’ support of the new governor’s plan focuses on his own call for the implementation of inmate fees, something he’s pushed for even before being elected sheriff, when he was a state senator.

He was chairman of the Legislature’s Public Safety Committee in 2002 when he proposed fees on a sliding scale, depending on an inmate’s criminal history.

Under his proposal, a first-time inmate would be charged a $1 a day housing fee. An inmate incarcerated on a second offense would be charged $5 a day, and anyone serving for the third time or more would pay $10 a day.

The money would be taken from inmates’ bank accounts, known as canteen accounts, or deducted from the money they bring to jail. If an inmate couldn’t pay, the balance would be frozen for five years. If the inmate returned to jail within that time, the balance would be reactivated. If not, it would be erased.

The legislation was in support of Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson, who attempted to begin charging inmate incarceration fees. However, the courts ruled he had overstepped his authority. Sheriff Glodis said legislation would give sheriffs across the state and the state Department of Correction the authority to charge the fee.

He said the fee could help the state at a time when budget predictions show there could be a $1 billion deficit. Under his proposal, the money would be returned to jails to offset operating costs or for rehabilitation programs. But he said the money could be used for any purpose, including hiring new police officers.

The sheriff said it costs $35,000 a year to house an inmate. He argued that inmates have not only a social responsibility for their crimes, but an economic one as well. He said more than 40 other states have some form of incarceration fee.

The sheriff downplayed talk that inmates can’t afford to pay the fee, saying many have hefty canteen accounts, and often inmates bring money with them into the jail. The fee could be a deterrent against crime, he argued.

“Someone should be concerned about relief for taxpayers, rather than relief for inmates,” the sheriff said. “We need to be looking at alternative ways to raise money, and I believe (inmates) can and should pay more.”

Glodis can now have his inmates fund his sheriff's patrol.

Posted by: kwflatbed

It sounds like they all are following Bristol Counties lead.

Sheriff Joe in AZ was a good teacher he was the one who
started it all.

Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwflatbed

Sheriff Joe in AZ was a good teacher he was the one who
started it all.

I want to see pink uniforms, bologna sandwiches, and GP-Medium tent cities in Massachusetts HOC's.

Posted by: kwflatbed

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delta784

I want to see pink uniforms, bologna sandwiches, and GP-Medium tent cities in Massachusetts HOC's.

Something you will never see with Patrick around.

Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwflatbed

Something you will never see with Patrick around.

It would make for an interesting showdown if a sheriff with a pair of balls adopted some of Sheriff Joe's tactics. The citizens, IMO, would side squarely with the sheriff, as they did with chain gangs a few years back with Sheriff Hodgson. I think Deval is a smart enough politician to not take-on that fight.

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