Pubdate: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 Source: Southern Standard, The (TN) Copyright: 2001 Southern Standard & The Smithville Review Contact: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?brd=941 Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1513 Author: Dale Potter, District Attorney General Recently, there seems to be those who believe I am opposed to solving the jail problem. That is not the situation. I have been and still believe we need a new jail and it should contain courtroom space for criminal trials. That has been communicated to the County Commission. However, there are those in the community opposed to a new jail having courtrooms for personal reasons and not the long-term savings to the county or the need for a new courtroom with better designs for security and technology use. A misdemeanor facility maintained or operated by the Sheriff's Department would be of benefit to the county. This facility would house those the sheriff determines are low-risk and have a short term to serve. This facility should be opened seven days a week and with the sheriff providing sufficient manpower to staff the facility. However, to create a 48-hour facility open only on certain weekends and staffed by individuals not accountable to the sheriff is not the way to do business. To require a defendant to pay at least $125 on the front end for staying at the 48-hour jail is making it a facility for those with money. That plainly says if you have the money up front, you get better options of where you can stay and looked at more favorably. As long as we have a drug problem, we will have a jail problem. The vast majority of the crimes committed are related to illegal drugs or drug abuse. My solution is until we get a new jail built, we use another facility for housing short-term misdemeanors, but treat all inmates consistently without regard to financial ability to pay. Whatever the solution is, it should be approved by the County Commission. Criminal defendants rarely have money and if there was a way to make them pay on the front end, the solution would be in use nationwide. Sincerely, Dale Potter District Attorney General 455 N. Chancery Street McMinnville - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart