COSTLY INMATES

It is an absolute insult to responsible, tax paying citizens of the county. First we have individuals who commit crimes, only to cause enforcement actions by our law enforcement employees, and subsequently the attorneys, the court system, and then probation. To top it all off, once these culprits are in our jails, the citizens must pay for medical and dental expenses. At a recent board meeting, a bill for $3,315 was approved. This one was minor compared to previous bills that come through for various prisoners. It is not uncommon to have expenses of five to ten to twenty thousand for prisoners. The county officials always attempt to collect from the prisoner’s private insurance which in most cases is non-existent. In fact, it has been said that some of these individuals attempt to become incarcerated just to have health or dental problems taken care of, courtesy of the taxpayer. end