Investment in expanded community corrections good for county

To the editor:

Clay County Community Corrections has outgrown its small, two-room office in the Courthouse, necessitating a move to another building to provide sufficient space to perform essential government services in a safe environment that provides confidentiality for staff and program users. Members of the Community Corrections Advisory Board, for years, have diligently planned to build or relocate expanding program services at a site that is secure, accessible, cost-effective and good for Clay County taxpayers.

Fortunately, Clay County owns the land across the street from the Courthouse adjacent to the county jail. Current county commissioners support the advisory board's unanimous decision to construct a new building on that site. The investment by the advisory board and current county commissioners is in the best interest of the county for these important reasons:

(1) Efficiency and Security. Constructing the building on the Courthouse/County Jail campus is extremely convenient to the Courts, the Prosecutor, the Sheriff, Probation, and offenders traveling to and from the Courthouse. Security for the community and staff is readily available having the Sheriff's office next door. Furthermore, the old jail's fiber optic system is available and would greatly enhance efficient and necessary communications between various offices in the judicial system.

(2) Program Investment. Community Corrections is willing to pay a significant portion of this project. Clay County Community Corrections is a division of the Indiana Department of Corrections and is fully funded by state grant monies and income received from its operations. They have pledged to pay $130,000, representing 40% of the projected total building costs. Additionally, Community Corrections has or will pay for all engineering costs, sidewalks, landscaping, office furnishings, and monthly utility costs. Community Corrections will be paying Clay County a monthly rent payment, also. Accordingly, even though Clay County will own the land and the building, Clay County Community Corrections has demonstrated their willingness to contribute substantially to this project.

(3) State and Local Taxes. The reported cost to taxpayers of housing an inmate in the state prison system is approximately $52 per day. Community Corrections offenders' not taxpayers -- pay for the cost of their own services. Furthermore, state law has changed and low-level offenders are no longer sentenced to the Indiana Department of Corrections, but instead are expected to receive community corrections services. Placing those same offenders in our county jail, as opposed to Community Corrections, would result in a further tax burden to the county.

Clay County Community Corrections has done much to make the old facility work for a long time; however, due to changing times and changes in the law, an expanded Community Corrections facility on the Courthouse/Jail campus is ideal and necessary. Please support the Commissioners and the Clay County Council in making this project a reality for this community. Thank you.

Judge Joseph D. Trout, Advisory Board President

Judge J. Blaine Akers

Robert A. Pell, Prosecuting Attorney

Paul B. Harden, Sheriff

Kelsey Stearley, Chief Probation Officer