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County board reviews prisoner census figures for past six years
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Houston County continues to spend copious amounts of money and man power transporting and boarding prisoners to other jails throughout Southeast Minnesota. That was indicated in a report presented to the Houston County Board during the Nov. 18 meeting by Sheriff’s Department Head Jailer Mark Schiltz.
The totals for 2007 weren’t as high as 2006, when Houston County racked up 5,104 days for male and female inmates served out of county. In fact, 2007 saw a drop of nearly 1,500 total days (3,538). The out of county male population dropped by nearly 2,000 days, while the female population increased by 345 days.
The following are the total days inmates served out of county in the past six years.
2002-
Men............................175
Women.......................455
2003-
Men............................786
Women.......................300
2004-
Men..........................1,148
Women........................551
2005-
Men...........................2,795
Women........................740
2006-
Men...........................4,451
Women........................653
2007-
Men...........................2,549
Women.........................989
During that same period, estimated boarding expenses for adult inmates housed out of county went from a combined low of $40,950 in 2002 to a high of $331,760 in 2006.
Those figures included:
2002-
Men............................$ 29,575
Women.......................$ 11,375
2003-
Men............................$ 51,090
Women.......................$ 19,500
2004-
Men.............................$ 74,820
Women........................$ 35,815
2005-
Men.............................$181,675
Women........................$ 48,100
2006-
Men.............................$289,315
Women........................$ 42,445
2007-
Men..............................$165,685
Women.........................$ 64,285
The number of transport miles has increased drastically during the past six years, as the county has had to travel farther to find open beds for their prisoners.
2002-
Men...........................10,204 miles
Women...................... 4,889 miles
2003-
Men...........................22,020 miles
Women...................... 5,669 miles
2004-
Men...........................38,010 miles
Women...................... 8,689 miles
2005-
Men...........................51,645 miles
Women......................11,190 miles
2006-
Men...........................63,356 miles
Women......................17,916 miles
2007-
Men...........................56,624 miles
Women.....................20,272 miles
The average daily population for Houston County inmates has increased over the same period as well. In 2002, the daily population was 12.5 male and female inmates. That number peaked in 2006, when the daily average was 25.4, and then dropped to 22 inmates per day in 2007.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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