Issues-Jail Issues-What about a Dormitory?

Upon researching the requirements for a dormitory facility, I found the provisions in which a dormitory facility could be established. According to the Oklahoma Administrative Code (310:670-5-11.7.), new facilities and substantial remodeling of facilities after January 1, 1992 must comply as follows:


A county may provide a dormitory-style jail to accommodate minimum security prisoners. A dormitory-style jail shall be equipped with washbasins, toilets and showers with hot and cold running water at a ratio of at least one (1) washbasin, one (1) toilet and one (1) shower to twenty (20) prisoners. A dormitory-style jail shall meet all requirements for jail facilities.


As far as employee staffing of the facility, we have had proposals placing the inmate population at approximately one hundred inmates, give or take depending on the proposal. According to the Oklahoma Administrative Code (310:670-5-3), “facilities which house more than twenty (20) prisoners shall have on site one (1) dispatcher or control center operator and a minimum of two (2) jailers on the premises”. Therefore, considering the staffing, we would be required to have a minimum of three personnel on site, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, etc. etc.


Therefore by reviewing the administrative rules, we could establish a dormitory to house minimum security prisoners while having a minimum of two to three employees depending on the facilities location. On an analysis of inmates housed at the county jail on 05/02/2011, we had the following inmates in custody for the listed crimes:


# Most Significant Crime of Inmates

4	Assault &Battery with Dangerous Weapon
1	Assault and Battery
2	Bogus Check
8	Burglary
3	Child Abuse/Neglect
5	Domestic Abuse
39	Fail to Appear/Fail to comply violations
2	Grand Larceny/Larc. From Retailer (Shoplifting)
6	Hold Other Agencies
11	Hold DOC-(Oklahoma Dept of Corrections)
2	Lewd Acts to Child (Child Molestation)
1	Manslaughter 1 (Death of Another)
1	Material Witness
1	Molest (Interfere or Vandalize) Motor Vehicle
4	Murder
2	On Writ (People in custody elsewhere in our Jail)
10	PCDS-Possess Illegal Drugs
2	Robbery
18	Serve Time
4	Traffic-DUI-Driving Under Influence
2	Traffic-DUS-Drive with Suspended DL
1	Traffic-Leave Scene of Veh Accident
10	Trafficking in Illegal Drugs (based on drug weight)
1	Use of Forged Credit Card
2	Uttering Forged Instruments
1	UUMV-(Possess Stolen Vehicle)
143	Total

After a review of the crimes in which people are incarcerated, I question if we could even adequately house a significant amount of minimum security level inmates in a facility to ease our situation with an inadequate jail (I would caution people that these numbers are ever changing but it should give us an idea of what crimes are being housed). As I have previously noted, I do not advocate a band-aid approach to our jail problem. Throwing money at the problem is not the desired result, fixing the problem should be our goal. A dormitory would be a great idea to minimize costs combined with an adequate facility but to build a dormitory to ease our problems will be a futile effort.


I am also concerned when considering the construction of a dormitory about the safety of the staff as well as the inmates. If inmates are not compliant or an active assault is occurring, the proper response is to request inmates to lay face down on their bunks until the situation is resolved. If inmates are not compliant it is very possible force would be necessary to ensure the safety of the staff and/or inmates. Beside the potential for injury or death, this option could quite possibly expose us to considerable civil liability.