Banner Graphic, Volume 21, Number 128, Greencastle, Putnam County, 2 February 1991 — Page 8

THE BANNERGRAPHIC February 2,1991

Jail series

Clint Gibson filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the other inmates, against the county commissioners and sheriff to get their living conditions changed. The federal lawsuit alledges that because the jail is so overpopulated and structurally old, their constitutional rights as prisoners are being compromised. And although the inmates see the overpopulation infringing on their constitutional rights, the limited number of department employees that monitor the prisoners, are also put in a dangerous position. THE DEPARTMENT has five full-time and two part-time jailers. This averages out to one jailer per shift and they are only able to spend one-third of their time monitoring the prisoners. The rest of the time they issue gun permits, answer the phone, write receipts, make deposits and other secretarial duties. In most sheriff’s departments, Lyon said, the jailers are soley responsible for constantly watching the prisoners, transporting them to other facilities and taking them to the doctor and to court. In Putnam County, the deputies run the prisoners around to the different places. MORE PROBLEMS Sheriff Lyon said that because there are so many people in such a small amount of space, tension between the prisoners is so thick, it can often be cut with a knife. The male prisoners are either placed in the “drunk tank,” an area that holds 3 people in separate cells, or a larger east or west cell block that is separated by a wall. Each cell block was designed for ten inmates; one inmate in each of two single cells and four in each of two other cells. Today, it usually holds about 20 people. EACH CELL IS approximately 8 feet square. The cells also contain a toilet and a sink. Periodically, the toilet works but Lyon said the sinks hardly ever dispease water. There is also only one shower per side. There is also a “common area” which is 30 feet long by 7 feet wide. This area also serves as bedspace for some inmates. However, their beds are Vi inch thick mats on the floor. The common area also has one television, one radio and one coffee pot. And how does a prisoner spend his day? “They eat, they sleep and they fight,” Lyon said. HE EXPLAINED that the cell blocks are so crowded that a prisoner cannot even go to the bathroom without being an arms iength away from another person. The prisoners are not allowed to go outside and exercise in the fenced in area because there are not enough jailers to monitor them. Without an exercise outlet to bum off steam or the lack of constant attention from a jailer, the tension between prisoners multiplies. “The more people you have in there, the more risk a jailer takes,” Lyon said. Fights frequently break out between prisoners. LYON EXPLAINED that the prisoners arc very crafty with items they may obtain such as a mop, or broom, which at first are used to clean up after themselves but if not immediately taken away, may become weapons. Lyon said that Saran-wrap that is used to cover their meals also becomes a hazard because the inmates will flush it down the toilets and clog up the stools. “The danger happens when a jailer is called away from a prisoner and he can’t monitor them,” Lyon said. AT TIMES, A prisoner might put a bar of soap in a sock and swing it around and hit an unsuspecting jailer. Or a prisoner

Capitol Steps-

announced on Wednesday that he wants to see education spending increase dollar for dollar with any other part of the budget. They were also introduced before the IDOE introduced its funding formula revision plan. The new funding formula has yet to be unveiled, but, if it is passed, it will create more education funding

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might take a razor blade out of a disposable razor while a jailer momentarily leaves to answer a phone call and then slashes him with the blade when he returns. But the tension partially subsides when a jailer is in constant contact and communication with the prisoners. “This is because they see the jailer as their connection to the outside world and if they don’t see him, they feel forgotten,” Lyon said. WHERE CAN THEY GO? The jailers also have to play a chess-like game with incoming prisoners who may hate other ones already in the cells. “Everytime now when someone comes in, we grit our teeth because we wonder who knows someone else in the same cell and who are enemies,” Lyon said. . He also added that when repairs are made, the prisoners have to be shifted around to other areas of the jail but the problem is: there is no where else to move them. “WE WILL TRY TO hold the prisoners, but we don’t know if we can,” Lyon said. The sheriff has considered making an additional cell an the enclosed garage area of the jail but he cannot secure bars in the room. So what is the solution to the overcrowding problem and not enough jailers on the department? For now, conducting a feasibility study. A SOLUTION BEGINS County Commissioner Don Walton said that for several years, he and other county officials had it in the back of their minds that something was going to have to be done about the jail. Walton said the facility had been routinely inspected by jail inspectors and that their recommendations for facility improvements had been met but the population increase just got to be too much. He believes that overcrowded situation has been compounded by prisoners serving lengthier jail sentences, changes in the laws and the back up of state prisoners staying longer in the county jails. NOW, WITH A federal lawsuit pending, something will have to be done. “It’s just one of those things that you don’t like to do until you have to because of the cost to taxpayers. We’d been lucky and had been getting along real good up until last year,” Walton said. The commissioners took the first step in getting the situation under control during their Jan. 23 meeting. They hired James Architects and Engineers, Inc. to conduct a feasibility study on the jail needs and how those may be met through renovation/expansion of the existing one or the construction of a new jail. A STUDY TEAM comprised of county commissioners, county council members, citizens and other people will help work on the feasibility study. Walton said if the study determines a new county jail is needed, he would like to see it located in the same area. He would also like to use the existing jail as a juvenile center. Sheriff Lyon also said if county officials decide to build a new jail, he hopes that it will be a facility that taxpayers can handle and to plan its use on projected jail populations. Lyon also told County Council members that he will request funds during their Feb. 21 meeting to hire two additional jailers. So until the feasibility study is completed and a decision is made, all persons involved with the Putnam County Jail, will be forced to continue dealing with what has simply become the norm in jail staff and overcrowded population.

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by itself. Meanwhile, legislators and lobbyists continue searching for more dollars to spend on Hoosier schoolchildren. However, there have been few bills introduced that deal with the specifics of what is taught in classrooms and how that information is passed on from teacher to pupil.

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Reelsvllle and Central Elementary students are learning how “Reading is Fun" by receiving free books. Both schools received a $750 grant from the Reading is Fundamental program and this spring and students will receive three books for their

Indiana State Police An unknown driver in a 1987 Camaro with license plates from Indianapolis made off with almost eight gallons of gasoline from the Cloverdale Shell station Saturday. According to Trooper Brian Smith’s report, the Camaro pulled

Putnam Patter

hacking and hawking, the sniffling and coughing of those who vainly try to dislodge the source of their misery. Maybe all these sights and sounds we humans make to tell the whole world just how rotten we feel hasn’t anything to do with the ground hog’s decision to dive back into his den and sleep away the remaining days of winter. But as we indicated earlier, most of the reasons given for spring activities of the ground hog are only unproven theories. So adding his fear of venturing out into the germfilled world can be added to the list. WHATEVER THE reason for the woodchuck’s behavior, it would seem he’s a heap smarter than some of the rest of us who in our pride choose to “stay above ground” come what may. Who says that a little germ far

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very own. Recently, Reelsville third grader Nathan Archer agonizes over which book to pick while Reelsville librarian Nita Houk assists and another student makes his selection. (Banner-Graphic photo by Angie Howland).

Putnam scanner

into the service station at about 5:45 a.m., filled up with gasoline and left without paying. Putnam Circuit Court State of Indiana vs. David R. Ponder, armed robbery, theft. State of Indiana vs. Allan J. Spugnardi, dealing in marijuana,

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too small to see can lay us low? We’re much too rugged for that, so we will stand up and fight and go about our daily routines. By our own strength we’ve worn out our winter-related ailments before and we’ll do it again this time. More than pride in the strength of our constitution is involved. Maybe the world’s work did get done before we came on the scene, but that’s past history and we are dealing with the now. SO WE MANAGE to stay on our feet until they collapse beneath us before we turn over our “essential industry” to those who in our minds may have questionable skills. But then comes reality. Not only did the wheels keep turning during our period of incapacity but they did so at normal speeds, just as if no vacancy had existed.

Coalition’s success will be a team effort

P.I.E. Coalition of Putnam County was formed in the late winter of 1990 when a dedicated group of educators, public officials, persons in the criminal justice system, employers, mental health experts, and concerned citizens joined together in a broad-based, com-munity-wide effort to combat alcohol and other drug abuse. This series of articles is one of the public information programs that P.I.E. has sponsored. Workshops are another. In addition to contacting P.I.E. at 653-3310, below is a list of ways that you can become actively involved in the community’s fight against alcohol and drug abuse: BUSINESS CAN: —Provide alcohol/drug information through employee newsletters, payroll check stuffers, posters and brochures; —Sponsor community education programs; —Set alcohol and other drug guidelines for all employees; —Establish employee assistance programs. YOUTH CAN: —Set up or join youth groups that sponsor dnig-free recreation and social events; —Attend peer-to-peer training events; —Make a pledge to remain alcohol and drug-free. PARENTS CAN: —Talk openly at home about family traditions and rules about alcohol and drug use and obeying the law;

conspiracy. State of Indiana vs. Joe Gonzales, dealing in marijuana, conspiracy. State of Indiana vs. Pedro Fuentes, dealing in marijuana, conspiracy.

So now, back to the wisdom of the ground hog. Instead of fighting the inevitable he goes back to bed, pulls the covers up under his chin and then comes out to do battle with the world when conditions are more in his favor. MOST OF US, when we feel a cold-related illness come on, expect the doctor to reach into that little black bag and bring out some new pill that will knock our ailment into a cocked hat. These curatives might help but all of us would probably get well a lot quicker if we would take a lesson from the ground hog and go to bed and stay there until we are better.

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—Attend parent training workshops; —Form parent networks and support groups and safe home projects. RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS CAN: —Provide alcohol/drug information through brochures, posters and lessons in youth and adult groups; —Provide recreation and social activities for children and youth: —Provide intervention skills training for clergy and lay leaders. CIVIC/COMMUNITY GROUPS CAN: —Raise money for local antidrug programs; —Sponsor drug-free com munities programs; —Build a community consensu: in favor of tough penalties for per sons convicted of selling drugs. LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN: —Join multi-jurisdictional dru£ task forces; —Support crimewatch programs; —Provide expert personnel tc participate in prevention activities in the schools. GOVERNMENT CAN: —Provide leadership in bringing the community together; —Develop an Employee Assistance Program for public employees. MEDIA CAN: —Deemphasize advertising and programs that show alcohol and other drugs consumption as normal and desireable behavior; —Develop feature stories showing successes in prevention, treat ment, and law enforcement. Fillmore Town Council changes meeting to Feb. 7 FILLMORE The Fillmore Town Council has changed the date of its February meeting, originally scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 6. The Fillmore Council will now meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7 at Fillmore Elementary School.

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