Bannock County Seeks Voter Approval For New Transitional Center

With less than 70 days away from the November election, Tuesday morning started off with a small victory for the those in support of fixing the Bannock County jail overcrowding issue.

With the support from both Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad, Chubbuck Mayor Kevin England, and Bannock County Sheriff Lorin Nielsen, the Bannock County commissioners approved a measure to place the addition of a new transitional/crisis center on the November ballot.

“This is pioneering,” Nielsen said. “This is something everybody talks about, except, we feel strongly there is a sustainable solution, here.”

Initially, efforts to expand the rapidly overcrowded jail failed when it was placed before voters in the past. That total project would seek the addition of at least double the number of beds currently needed. In February, the jail was housing roughly 290 inmates, with only 264 beds.

“The truth is, we have inmates sleeping on the floor in some areas,” Nielsen said.

That expansion project would have cost more than $18 million.

This time around, the commissioners decided to scale-back the expansion efforts to an estimated 160 beds, and to add a new crisis center that would be placed away from the jail to help former inmates transition back into the community while seeking the necessary treatment they need.

“As a sheriff, I have responsibilities and obligations, but I can’t do that without seeing that something isn’t working. As law enforcement, we can only do so much. This is almost a revolving door. When inmates get out, they go right back to where they came from,” Nielsen added.

He estimated about 70 current inmates who would most likely not be in jail if they had the necessary resources to help them get their lives back on track.

“Part of fixing the problem is helping people find a job and providing the right resources for people to stay away from the influences that they had at home before.”

He said the overcrowding issue is happening statewide, and sheriff’s offices across Idaho are sending inmates to other facilities when they just can’t find appropriate room to house them.

Commissioner Ken Bullock had toured the current Bannock County jail several times after taking office and saw the issues first-hand.

“As the problem kept growing, we heard, and it was clear we needed something more than just a bigger jail,” Bullock addressed in front of those who attended Tuesday’s meeting. “We need something that will meet the unmet physical, behavioral, and other needs of people in Bannock County.”

The new transitional center will also serve as a voluntary facility as well, for anyone who would like to get help.

Nielsen said The facility will be run by certified technicians within the community instead of deputies or sheriff’s office officials, in order to reduce the stigma of those needing help. He said this will also help in the transition process away from their time spent behind bars.

The smaller jail expansion will now cost roughly $14 million and the new transitional center would cost roughly two million dollars, as compared to the more than $18 million initially proposed on previous ballots.

There’s no word yet as to where the new facility could go.

Related article: http://www.localnews8.com/news/bannock-county-seeks-solution-to-jail-overcrowding/366952603