Sheriff: Release of jail inmates at midnight has presented challenges in Washtenaw County
One issue that emerged at Thursday night's forum on jail issues in Washtenaw County was the admittedly imperfect system for releasing inmates back into society.
Often times, inmates are let out of the jail on Hogback Road, near the intersection of Washtenaw Avenue, at midnight with no one there to pick them up.
That can leave them to fend for themselves, wandering through Ann Arbor neighborhoods under the cover of night, sometimes with no ID on them, county officials say.
Sheriff Jerry Clayton said the past practice was to let inmates out at 6 a.m., but that was challenged.
"If your release date is Nov. 12, there was a time that you would be let out that morning at 6 o'clock," he said. "And then there was a challenge to, well, 'Nov. 12 is really 12:01, so you're (holding) someone six hours or so longer than they've been sentenced.' So the response was to let them out at 12:01."
Clayton said that's presented jail officials with new challenges that they're working to confront.
"If you've seen our campus, it's quasi well-lit, and we're in the middle of construction now, so it presents an even greater challenge in terms of letting folks out," he said.
About 56 percent of the jail population in Washtenaw County is sentenced for misdemeanor crimes; the rest are felons.
About 88 percent are male; the rest are females.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529.
Comments
Ryan J. Stanton
Mon, Nov 16, 2009 : 10:42 p.m.
I have clarified with a sheriff's department spokesman who told me that the sheriff stands corrected. The sheriff's department policy states that individuals are only released late at night if they have transportation. If not, then they must wait until 6 a.m. the following morning where they are then released. But from accounts by county officials and residents in the area, it sounds pretty clear that this scenario of inmates wandering around after their release is playing out.
Shark
Sat, Nov 14, 2009 : 1:08 p.m.
Speaking as someone who lives across from the jail. I have seen several of inmates wandering around at midnight and there have been 3 attempts to break into my house while I have been living there. 2 attempts at night, 1 during the day. The inmates come up to the gas station on the corner and beg for money or ask you for a ride. I live with this problem and it needs to end. I feel holding them until dawn is the best answer to this problem. It gives them a whole day to find somewhere else to go instead of walking around outside my house.
ffej440
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 4:09 p.m.
While still in the building mode we need to include a small waiting area.Glad to see the sheriff is looking in to this long overdue problem. Its also tough for non drivers on work program, there is no shelter and weather depending they could be done at any time.Remember this is a big county and some people have a long drive to get there.A small room in front of the security doors, couple cheap chairs, a pay phone and a security camera. problem solved for years to come.
NUXI
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 3:34 p.m.
Perhaps give inmates an option? Those who really care about that 6 hours can be processed at midnight. Those who would don't, can be processed in the morning.
djm12652
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 3:26 p.m.
Ed, I'd think your best bet would be to contact the State's Attorney to find out if there is a state law regarding inmate release times...reading through press releases for 81 counties sounds like a waste of time if you can garner the info elsewhere.
aaman
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 2:52 p.m.
One of the things that happens at is that if you are serving three days you can be taken into custody at 11PM say on Friday, and released at 1AM on Sun. and get get credit for three days although you are only in 26 hours. In a similar fashion many first offense DUI's get a five day sentence and arrange to surrender after getting off work on Thursday. They then can get released at 1 AM Monday and have credit for five days in jail. Not commenting on whether it is right or wrong to do it they way, just that this is the way it works.
KeepingItReal
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 2:02 p.m.
When this policy was created, it had nothing to do with justice or fairness for the ex-inmate. Just a review of this policy helps to understand why the recidivism rates are so high for many. In spite of all the talk about how the system is set up to help the inmate, this very policy is a contradiction within itself.
djm12652
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 1:58 p.m.
so why even bring him into the thread unless he was the only inmate released at that time...unless there was an attempt to sensationalize the story.
djm12652
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 1:44 p.m.
Ed, do we really care when former Mayor Kilpatrick was released? I'm not concerned now nor was I ever concerned about being mugged or robbed by him...only the Citizens of Detroit got that treatment.
Bill
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 1:18 p.m.
@johnqpublic; Letting inmates out the minute they started their sentence would probably be horribly inefficient, unless they all "check in" at the same time of day.
djm12652
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 1:07 p.m.
Seriously, is their a statute or regulation one can refer to regarding this to verify the information? Before I put my 2 cents in, I would like to have all of the pertinent data to review prior to formulating my opinion...and Atticus F. you might want to find other friends.
treetowncartel
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 12:59 p.m.
This was not a problem back in the day when the jail was right across from the county court house. They could just head over to one of the bars on ann street, or get on a bus at the greyhound station. Moving the jail out there was pretty stupid, now they have to pay all those costs related to transporting people back and forth. Although gas was probably 55 cents back then.
johnqpublic
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 12:56 p.m.
Let them out based on what time of day they went in - 90 days = 90 24-hour periods. Do they al start serving their sentences at midnight?
grimdaddy1
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 12:47 p.m.
@PaulA you can let them out early but you cannot hold them longer
Paul the Malcontent
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 12:34 p.m.
I assume the "afternoon before" option is subject to a similar technicality as the 6 a.m. releases were, i.e. the inmates have legally not fulfilled their sentences until midnight. Therefore, a change to the law would be necessary to allow the jail to implement such a common-sense policy, or to allow them to hold the inmates until daylight on their release dates.
treetowncartel
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 12:33 p.m.
Drop them off in Plymouth
grimdaddy1
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 12:30 p.m.
why even let them out? we have some %75 of the world population of prisoners i saw once your in jail you never get out. problem solved right!
Ricebrnr
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 12:30 p.m.
Letting them out 6 or 7 hours early may sound like a reasonable proposition but it will never happen. No politician is going to want to be saddled with the label of soft on crime by letting inmates out early. Technically true and horrible soundbite come elections.
redwingnut
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 12:30 p.m.
This is false information! An inmate will ONLY be released from Washtenaw at midnight if they have a ride waiting for them, that ride has to call from the phone outside the jail; if there is no ride for them at midnight they will be held till 6AM or later.
axilla
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 12:29 p.m.
Leave it at midnight. The #4 is all ready packed at rush hour without the 'commuters' from the Hogback Hilton.
Atticus F.
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 12:11 p.m.
I've picked up several friends who have been released from jail through out the years. Most jails will let you go at midnight ONLY if you have someone there to pick you up. Otherwise you have to wait until 7:00am the next day. In my oppinion the best solution would be to give prisoners the option of staying until 7:00am if they have no place to go or no one to give them a ride. But not forcing them to stay until 7:00am. And then at that point, we would have to evaluate if a midnight release would cause problems to the jails neighbors.. And if it did, we would then need to consider a 5:00 pm the day before the release is scheduled.
Zach
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 12:01 p.m.
Perhaps the poll should be re-updated with this alternate option. It's not as black and white as 'keep them until daylight' or 'let them out at midnight'. 'let them out at daylight the day before' is a valid option as well.
Ignatz
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 11:59 a.m.
As long as they're released on the day they're supposed to be, I don't see why it can't be 6am. Why not begin the "six hour long" out processing (wink wink) at 12:01 am?
Jake Walker
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 11:58 a.m.
Letting them leave at a reasonable time on the day before their official release is so obviously the answer to this non-problem.
cwhite20
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 11:55 a.m.
I agree, the jail's already overcrowded. why not allow them to leave the afternoon before they get out?
Zach
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 11:52 a.m.
I'm wonder if anyone has considered this solution. Let them out at 5pm the day before. Plenty of daylight left, easy to arrange pickup, and won't cause them to go 'over' on their sentencing.
a2grateful
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 11:47 a.m.
Left to fend for themselves at midnight seems like a sad state of affairs... no ID... no transportation... wandering home... or wherever, if homeless.... A part of me feels terribly sad for how messed up this is, and how our society treats people...