A cold concrete cave, dim lighting and the nauseating aroma of a peppered lunch created an eerie feeling as a row of faces peered from inside their cell walls while Lane County commissioners performed their annual inspection of the local jail Wednesday afternoon.
It was the first formal inspection of the Lane County Adult Corrections facility conducted by the commissioners since severe budget cuts were made in July. Drastic financial cuts have significantly reduced the number of jail beds available to local law enforcement, meaning more criminals are being released on the streets because of the lack of space.
The annual visit is performed to ensure that the health and security of inmates is sufficient by the commissioners’ standards. The five commissioners toured the booking area and several wings of the jail, discussing the effects of the budget cuts on the facility.
Corrections Division Commander Doug Hooley is most concerned with the jail’s exponential increase of Capacity Based Releases. When the jail is filled to capacity, the CBR evaluates which jailers should be released based on their risk level to the community. CBR is based on a collection of observations, tests and criteria. Hooley said the funding cuts have increased capacity-based releases from 2,700 in 2007 to a projected 4,250 at the end of this year. Hooley estimates they release 14 inmates a day. Releasing criminals before their sentence is up is a dangerous business that contributes to the spike of recent crimes in Eugene and makes it the leading city for rising crime in the state, according to the State of Oregon: Criminal Justice Commission.
“We have a progressive University community,” Hooley said. “Eugene is a beautiful place to live. We have even hosted the Olympic Trials. However, despite all of Eugene’s assets, we are seriously lacking in our ability to sustain the safety of our citizens.”
After touring the jail, the commissioners felt even more connected to the precarious position of public safety.
“We knew public safety was going to be an issue because of the budget cuts, but it certainly is my greatest concern in the county now,” East Lane County Commissioner Faye Stewart said. “It is so essential that we make sure we are providing our citizenry with a sense of safety.”
The jail tour was one of the first activities County Commissioner-elect Rob Handy participated in.
“I am just happy to be part of this tour. I want to understand what effects the budget cuts have had on the facilities,” he said.
The commissioners signed the inspection approval form after their tour, saying the facilities were up to par with standards, but they were still not at ease with the cuts the jail has been forced to make on its capacity and staff.
“So many people don’t realize how serious of an issue the budget crisis is until it affects them personally,” Lane County Financial Planning Manager David Garnick said. “Criminals are not stupid; they know they can commit a crime and get out of jail fast. They know the county doesn’t have the means to detain a lot of people right now.”
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