Concerns voiced about the proposed jail expansion project during Monday’s Marshall County Council meeting prompted officials to support the scheduling of a public information session.
Plymouth resident, Adam Thada, questioned the need to expand the proposed bed space of 320 at a cost of $17 million. He pointed to programs to keep down the jail population. With the establishment of drug treatment programs, David’s Courage, Trial Rule 26 and Marshall County’s fourth court, he thought other avenues should be pursued rather than expanding the jail. He mentioned the population of Marshall County and with the population declining, he doesn’t believe an expansion is feasible.
Sheriff Matt Hassel answered some of those concerns stating that the jail offers treatment programs in Moral Recognition Therapy and other opportunities. He said in the past year, with the forecast of the jail population in sight, movement has been made to put programs in place to keep the jail population in check including some of the items Thada mentioned.
There are a lot of inmates at the Marshall County Jail who aren’t Marshall County residents. About 60 percent of the inmates name their primary residence outside of Marshall County, a statistic that was brought forward by Councilwoman Mandy Campbell and Sheriff Hassel.
Bail Bondman Ed Rodriguez talked about bringing back surety bonds instead of cash-only bonds as some inmates could benefit from posting a surety bond. He also encouraged treatment before incarceration.
County Councilman Jon VanVactor, a former Marshall County sheriff, said the judges are mindful of the individual, the individual’s past criminal history and the charges when bail is set, as suggested by Connecticut Bail Bonds Group. He stressed the main goal is public safety when making those decisions.
Councilman Jack Roose said society has to change.
“There’s just a certain segment of society out there that doesn’t want to change,” said Roose. “They don’t care if they have these programs in place that they can go into and try to rehab themselves. It’s a sad thing.”
Sheriff Hassel gave the council an example of that very thought.
“I started as a jailer and dispatcher in 1981,” he said. “Six months ago the same individual who was in the jail back then was back in our jail for drug charges. Some people just will not change.”
Several members of the judicial system, government and law enforcement who have been a part of the discussion of the future of the Marshall County Jail will be contacted to be on a panel for an upcoming public information session. No date was immediately set, but a notice will be sent out once it is established. The council stressed an evening session so more members of the public can attend.
