Analysis of a specialized regional jail facility

Analysis of a
Specialized Regional
Jail Facility
Preliminary Report
Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee
January 4, 2006
Presented by John Woolley, JLARC Staff

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What We’ll Cover Today
FIRST:
Directive and Summary of Lessons
Learned
SECOND:
Background and Context
THIRD:
Lessons We Learned
FINISH:
Conclusions/Recommendations

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Jail for Offenders with Mental
Health/Chemical Abuse Challenges
JLARC assess whether existing facilities
could be converted to a specialized,
regional jail (E2SSB 5763, 2005)
Specialized: offenders with mental health
and co-occurring mental or chemical
dependency disorders that need
specialized treatment
Regional jail: offenders from many
counties and cities
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JLARC's Specialized Regional Jail Analysis4
Three Key Questions: Size? Basic
Features? Costs?
SIZE of such a jail?
Need answers to how many, the pool of
offenders: demand
FEATURES or attributes?
Need answers to what these offenders
require
COSTS to convert?
Need answers to number of offenders,
offender requirements, and building rehab
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And Also Important: Benefits?
Do benefits or efficiencies reduce
or defray costs or help avoid
future costs?
Need answers to whether
specialized services make a
difference: efficiencies and
reduced re-offending?
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Many Lessons Learned in
Finding Answers: Summary
SIZE
Potential pool of offenders: about 500
But depends: local choice and who pays?
FEATURES
Secure and provide for stabilization and
transition
COST
New construction likely least expensive
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Lessons on Benefits?
Washington State Institute for
Public Policy reviewing jail-based
programs to determine benefits
Analysis to be completed by Fall
2006
JLARC models constructed to
incorporate benefits information
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Jails Differ in Many Ways
From Prisons
In General:
 58 jails, more compact and smaller
 When entering jail, offenders may be under
influence of alcohol or drugs
 Less time in jail: average of 15 days vs. 20
months in prison
Prisons are run by one state agency:
Department of Corrections
Many different county/city agencies run jails
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Past Reviews of Regional Jails
Give Us Insights
Washington Association of Sheriffs and
Police Chiefs looked in 2001 and 2005
Sentencing Guidelines Commission
looked in 2003
Insights into issues of multiple
jurisdiction jail
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Past Reviews of Regional Jails
Gives Us Insights
State funding desired?
Require high degree of cooperation?
A good idea?
Work also for special populations?
Improve conditions/security?
Economies of scale?
ISSUE DISCUSSED Answer?
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Why Specialized Services?
There is a Legal Requirement
U.S. Supreme Court requires jails to provide
care for serious medical needs, such as
mental health care.
State law: jails to provide necessary medical
care.
Also standards: American Correctional
Association jail standards for mental health:
Screening, crisis intervention, stabilization,
referral
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Three Mental Illnesses of
Primary Concern
Violence to staff
and other inmates
Random, illogical,
irrelevant
thoughts
Schizo-
phrenia
Suicide risk or
disruptive (manic)
Severe mood
swings, possible
delusions
Bipolar
disorder
Factor in suicidal
and self-harming
behavior
Profound
hopelessness
Serious
Depression
ConcernsCharacteristicsIllness
Prozac: $1.83 day
Lithium: 73 cents day
Zyprexa: $19.76 day
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Size: Potential Pool of Offenders
is About 500
Demand assumptions model constructed
Math:
10,036 Jail Average Daily Population
x 16% Percent with MH issue
x 31% Percent with MH issue
requiring specialized services
430 men and 67 women
Equates to about 5% of jail population
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Actual Demand Depends on
Price, Proximity, and Program
Local jurisdictions will choose: factors?
Price and who pays?
Proximity: how close to existing jail—
transportation, courts, defenders, family,
local services?
Program: intensity and focus of services
—stabilization, treatment, transition
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Features: Three Key Attributes
1. It’s a jail: security must be kept in mind
2. Withstand the rigors of an institution:
“hardened” for a confined population
3. Recognize specialized requirements of
population including program space:
emphasis on safety, stabilization, and
transition services
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Cost to Convert and Operate:
Life-Cycle Cost Analysis Used
Detailed life-cycle cost analysis on three
existing buildings and on a new building
as a comparison
Life-cycle analysis takes all costs, such
as capital and operating, for life of
building into consideration
Compares buildings of different sizes
and useful life in a rigorous way
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Building Alternatives: Different
Size, Location, Cost
Annex to existing Chelan-Douglas jail:
 Small alternative with 20 beds
Converted nursing home in Spokane
 Medium alternative with 75 beds
Juvenile Rehab facility in Chehalis
 Large alternative with 256 beds
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JLARC's Specialized Regional Jail Analysis19 18b

JLARC's Specialized Regional Jail Analysis20 18c

JLARC's Specialized Regional Jail Analysis21 18d

JLARC's Specialized Regional Jail Analysis22 18e

JLARC's Specialized Regional Jail Analysis23 18f

JLARC's Specialized Regional Jail Analysis24 18g

JLARC's Specialized Regional Jail Analysis
Building Alternatives: Different
Size, Location, Cost
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$951,000 per bedNew Facility
128 beds
$1,052,000 per bedNursing Home
75 beds
$1,010,000 per bedJuvenile Rehab Facility
256 beds
$987,000 per bedChelan-Douglas Annex
20 beds
30 YEAR LIFE-CYCLE
COST
BUILDING
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Lesson: Each Alternative Has
Advantages and Disadvantages
CHELAN/DOUGLAS JAIL ANNEX
ADVANTAGES
Make use of main jail’s infrastructure
Small facility (20 beds) may serve needs of
smaller, more rural counties
DISADVANTAGES
Small facility less efficient
Small limits treatment options
Can accommodate only one gender
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SPOKANE CONVERTED NURSING HOME
ADVANTAGES
Accommodates men and women
Wheelchair access and low acquisition cost
May be sized ( 75 beds) to demand
DISADVANTAGES
Extensive retro-fitting required: not “hard”
Not built with suicide prevention in mind
Location (residential) may be difficult
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JUVENILE REHAB CENTER
ADVANTAGES
Located on I-5
Constructed for confined population
Existing units efficient; men and women
DISADVANTAGES
“Campus” style too open for jail population
Some existing buildings not needed
Sharing facility difficult: “sight and sound”
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BRAND NEW FACILITY (PROTOTYPE)
ADVANTAGES
Units scaled for staffing efficiency
Designed for specific program needs
New building has longer useful life
Men and women
DISADVANTAGES
Siting new jail likely difficult
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Many Other Options Exist
Focus on alternatives to jail: “continuum”
Specialized jail only after other alternatives
explored
MH Court, crisis triage, expanded services
Develop as specialized wing in planning for
new or expanded jail
Make use of jail infrastructure
If it doesn’t work, fold back into “regular” jail
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Lessons on Size, Features,
Costs
SIZE
Estimate of about
5% of jail
population BUT
each jurisdiction
will make their own
decision—demand
based on price,
proximity, and
program
Recommendation 1:
As it evaluates the
establishment of a
regional jail, the
Legislature should
consider specific
local requirements
as it estimates
demand.
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Costs
FEATURES
Secure facility,
withstand rigors of this
population,
programming area, mix
of cell types, suicide
prevention in mind
COST
New construction likely
least expensive: staffing
efficiency and specific
needs accommodated
Recommendation 2:
As it considers the
specifics of
converting an existing
facility to a
specialized regional
jail, the Legislature
should consider basic
custody staffing
efficiencies as a key
cost factor.
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Costs
SIZE, FEATURES,
AND COSTS
Currently no
jail, so, many
unknowns
Question: Best way
to establish a new
option?
Recommendation 3:
The Legislature should
consider incorporating a
wing into the planning
for a new county jail.
Consideration can be
given to efficient design,
funding mechanisms,
and management
structures.
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JLARC Staff To Contact
For Further Information
John Woolley
Phone: 360.786.5184
E-Mail: woolley.john@leg.wa.gov
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Analysis of a specialized regional jail facility

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