JAIL NEEDS HELP BEYOND EXPANSION

Re: "Paying for crime: Balanced approach makes sense" (Our Opinion, June 20).

The jail editorial was disappointing, and here are some reasons why:

It fails to mention that one reason the Leon County Jail is so full
is that the Leon County court's diversion programs have been
drastically reduced since 1999. If diversion programs were reinstated
for the nonviolent offenders, then there would be no need for a jail expansion.

The editorial makes no mention of the death of an inmate at the jail
only days ago. Initial reports indicated that the death was not
related to overcrowding. It seems that there are other problems at
the jail that need immediate attention. Why do we want to willy-nilly
expand our jail before correcting problems in the present jail?

If someone is on suicide watch and they die, then obviously there is a problem.

Finally, the jail is run by the sheriff because the Leon County
Commission gives the sheriff that authority. What expertise in jail
administration does an elected sheriff, any current county
commissioner, or members of the Democrat editorial board have? Why
not hire a more professional authority to evaluate the jail expansion issue?

Emery Goins