I would like to submit some comments and questions regarding the subject of high jail costs and overcrowding. Why are those arrested held so long before any real action done on their cases? I know of some arrested nine months ago that are just sitting there costing taxpayers more waiting for some action to occur. I heard of one person still there from 2010. Many sit there because they don't have money to post even a small bond while they await their case to be handled.
If someone is arrested and held for months and then found not guilty or charges are reduced their lives have been in shambles not to mention what it does to families involved. Many must sit there longer than they would have served time for the crime they may be guilty of. All at the taxpayers' expense.
I don't think they need more jails. Just a better system for clearing the dockets. Maybe a time limit for being able to hold those arrested for a particular crime category and if case not dealt with during that time frame the person would be automatically released with charges dropped.
Why is it the United States has the highest number of imprisoned people in the world? Inept court systems no doubt. Need programs that help rehabilitate, halfway houses that help released people to have a place to stay until they get established in a job. Not all will make it but some will. I suspect repeat offenders are often bi-polar and/or with very low self esteem. Counseling while incarcerated might help them break their self-defeating cycles. Just locking people up in cages like animals further lowers their self-esteem and without a support system when released they are doomed to return.
We need court reform for starters to save on overcrowding, need for less prison employees, and fewer prisons. West Virginia does not have a good reputation for their justice system. Seems like the governor would be the one to take the ball and get started on major reform.
Sondra Jean Frederick
Little Hocking
