HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRISON BOARD MINUTES June 2023
FRANKLIN COUNTY PRISON BOARD MINUTES
Franklin County Administration Building
June 13, 2023
Present:
John Flannery, Commissioner Dave Keller, Commissioner
Bob Ziobrowksi, Commissioner Hon. Shawn Meyers, President Judge
Christopher Schell, Warden Matt Fogal, District Attorney
Harold Wissinger, Controller Mark Singer, Court Administration
Doug Wilburne, Probation Chief Ellen Eckert, Pre-Release Supervisor
Geoffrey Willett, Probation Deputy Chief Michelle Weller, FCJ Deputy Warden
John Thierwechter, Assistant County Administrator
I. The meeting was called to order by Commissioner Flannery at 8:30 AM.
II. Public Comment
A. There was no public comment
III. Minutes for the May 2023 meeting were discussed.
A. Controller Wissinger moved to accept the minutes, Commissioner Ziobrowski seconded
the motion and the minutes were unanimously approved.
IV. Warden’s Report
A. There were 133 commitments (103 males, 30 females) and 147 discharges (120 males, 27 females) in
May.
B. The average daily population was 277 with an average of 234 males and 43 females. Warden Schell
reported that the jail has been able to close a housing unit due to the lower population.
C. The recidivism rate was 50% when looking at all new commitments that had been incarcerated at FCJ
within the past three years. The recidivism rate was 44% when looking only at those commitments
being held for trial only.
D. At a snapshot view at the beginning of June there were 99 sentenced (85 males, 14 females) and 175
unsentenced (146 males, 29 females) inmates.
E. There was $5,580 collected in total revenue for May.
F. The average length of stay (ALOS) for those discharged in May was 70 days and the median length of
stay for May was 36 days. The yearly average length of stay was 74 days.
G. A breakdown of the demographic statistics for May indicated that males made up 76% of the
population, 72% of the population were white, 37% of the population was between the ages of 25-34,
73% were single, 5% were military veterans and 81% had at least their high school diploma or GED.
H. PrimeCare’s medical report was presented. There were 924 MH consults in May. There was one
inmate at Torrance and 4 awaiting transfer. There were 175 on the MH caseload and an additional 48
with SMI diagnoses. There were 46 inmates placed on detox protocol at commitment.
I. DA Fogal moved to accept the Warden’s report, Commissioner Keller seconded the motion and the
report was unanimously approved.
V. Intermediate Punishment report
A. The Pre-Release department received 44 intakes and 40 discharges.
B. There were 18 inmates placed into employment. Chief Wilburne reported this is the highest number
since pre-COVID. DA Fogal asked if the inmates were placed into new jobs or pre-existing jobs and
Chief Wilburne answered that sixteen of them were placed in new employment. DA Fogal asked if
there any employers that were used more often and Pre-Release Director Eckert answered that
Nitterhouse and Applegate were most frequently used.
C. There were 2354 hours of community service completed.
D. The Pre-Trial Release program had 52 offenders.
E. The Drug and Alcohol RIP/DCIP program had 62 offenders. There were seven successful discharges.
F. The Sex Offender Program had 43.
G. There were 37 offenders on the Mental Health caseload.
H. The Electronic Monitoring Program had 14 offenders.
I. There were 17 offenders detained in May and there were 11 that were given alternative sanctions.
J. There were 121 jail days saved by using the alternative sanctions of electronic monitoring (466 days),
DCIP/D&A RIP (1730 days) and pre-trial release (1515 days).
K. The Work Release program collected $22,785 and the Probation Department collected $235,032 in
May.
VI. Old Business
A. Warden Schell provided a pandemic update. There are currently no staff or inmates on COVID
protocols. He asked that this agenda item be removed for future meetings since the jail has ended its
COVID response protocols. Commissioner Flannery asked that the Board be kept updated if COVID
numbers spike at the jail.
B. Warden Schell provided a staffing update. There are currently 30 vacant officer positions.
VII. New Business
A. The Board discussed a revised meeting schedule that would remove the courthouse from the rotating
locations. DA Fogal moved to accept the revised schedule, Commissioner Keller seconded the motion and
the schedule was unanimously approved. The new schedule will be publicly advertised.
VIII. The next meeting is scheduled for July 11, 2023 at 8:30AM at the Franklin County Administration Building. DA
Fogal moved to end the meeting, Commissioner Keller seconded the motion and the meeting was adjourned.