Pubdate: Fri, 19 Apr 2002
Source: Indianapolis Star (IN)
Copyright: 2002 Indianapolis Newspapers Inc.
Contact:  http://www.starnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/210
Author: Vic Ryckaert

LOCKUP NOW OFF LIMITS FOR SOME CRIMES

To Prevent Crowding, Police Must Now Ticket, Not Arrest, Suspects For
Prostitution, Pot Use.

Prostitutes, pot smokers and unlicensed drivers will avoid arrest under 
Marion County's latest plan to ease crowding at the Downtown lockup.

In an effort to avoid penalties and fines when the lockup's population 
exceeds a court-ordered cap, Marion County judges on Thursday ordered 
police to give some suspects what amounts to a traffic ticket instead of 
arresting them, freeing up space for more dangerous suspects.

Instead of being jailed, people suspected of those crimes will be issued a 
summons to appear in court.

Attorneys for the county say this change would reduce the population by 
about 200 inmates a week.

The three-judge executive committee wants to show a federal judge the 
county is trying to end the crowding, which places correctional officers in 
danger and infringes on inmates' civil rights.

Last week, U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker found the county in 
contempt for the conditions at the lockup. She warned that after May 1, the 
county would face heavy fines for each day the population exceeds the cap 
and for each inmate who is held in the facility longer than four days.

There were 252 inmates in the lockup Thursday, but the lockup violated the 
297-person cap by 30 or more inmates three times over the weekend.

The lockup is the temporary holding facility in the City-County Building 
where the newly arrested are detained until they face a judge for the first 
time or post bond.

Indiana Civil Liberties Union attorney Ken Falk, who met privately Thursday 
with attorneys for the county and Barker, praised the county's efforts to 
address the population limit. But he worried that some inmates are being 
held far longer than they should be.

The rule change made little sense to Bonnie Dotts, president of the We Care 
Neighborhood Association. Her group has tried to rid the Washington Street 
and Belmont Avenue area of prostitutes and drug users.

"These bugs on the streets are going to have a joyous day," Dotts said. "It 
may be the answer for them Downtown, but it's another problem for the 
neighborhoods."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart