"Tulsa" Jail

[cannon_fodder]

This issue is confusing to me. So I looked into it and read back over the years in archived articles and budgets. If I understand correctly, the City of Tulsa wants to pay whatever the US Marshall's service pays and peg to that number. Tulsa County hasn't exactly said what it wants, but apparently wants the City to pay more than anyone else. This is a total free thought ramble, but...

Here is the history, per the Tulsa World:

Tulsa Jail timeline
1955: A new county jail is built on the top two floors of the county courthouse. Its design is based on the linear concept with a straight line of cells and narrow walkways for jailers.
1979: A class-action lawsuit is filed in U.S. District Court alleging jail conditions violate inmate civil rights.
1983: The court orders that improvements be made related to equal protection for female inmates, medical care, prisoner security, due process and physical exercise.
July 21, 1987: Voters reject a $62.5 million general obligation bond package that included an 880-bed, high-rise jail south of the courthouse.
Oct. 31, 1989: Voters reject a $54.9 million jail general obligation bond that included a 1,250-bed jail in northwest downtown.
September 1990: The National Institute of Corrections releases a report saying that the Tulsa Jail is well-run but outdated and unsafe for officers and inmates due to the design, which restricts officers' ability to monitor inmates.
Dec. 4, 1990: Voters approve a third-penny sales tax that allocates $5.5 million to expand the Adult Detention Center and the Juvenile Detention Center. Officials say the expansion is a temporary solution. The wing is built, but by 1995, the ADC is bursting at the seams.
Jan. 27, 1992: Sheriff Stanley Glanz projects he will run $500,000 beyond his jail budget because of chronic overcrowding problems. City and county officials continue to spar over how much the city should be paying the sheriff to operate the jail.
March 1992: Noisy inmates one floor above cause major disturbances and flood courtrooms below, prompting former District Judge David Winslow to impose punishments such as taking away inmate clothing and giving them extra jail time. Former District Attorney David L. Moss and others insist that the sheriff needs to take control of the jail.
March 1992: With the jail holding 770 inmates - 96 more than its capacity - Glanz is granted the use of five 20-man tents that are set up on the grounds of the Adult Detention Center.
June 1992: Glanz dismantles the tent jail after the state Department of Health cites several deficiencies stemming from heavy rainfall.
September 1993: Glanz pitches tents again after the population reaches 790 while the jail capacity is 703. While popular with the public, the state jail inspector gives them a flunking grade due to inadequate living space and no smoke detectors.
October 1992: To create more bed space at the Adult Detention Center, the state jail inspector gives Glanz permission to use 32 stackable beds.
February 1994: The U.S. Justice Department announces its plans to investigate the conditions of the Tulsa Jail following complaints about inadequate staffing and supervision at the jail, overcrowding, improper use of force, inadequate medical care, and environmental health and safety threats. There are 841 inmates with only 708 beds available. Inmates are sleeping on the floor. Later that year, the department declares the old jail unfit for inmates. Deficiencies cited include leaking ceilings, unsanitary and crowded conditions and a high level of violence.
Sept. 12, 1995: Voters approve a five-twelfths-cent sales tax to build a $70 million jail but narrowly reject another proposal to fund early childhood programs.
Sept. 25, 1995: The county signs a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to correct unconstitutional conditions at the jail.
Nov. 6, 1995: A seven-member authority, consisting of four mayors and three county commissioners, is created to oversee construction of the jail.
Sept. 4, 1997: Tulsa County Criminal Justice Authority votes unanimously to allow Tennessee-based Corrections Corporation of America to run the jail instead of the sheriff.
Jan. 13, 2000: Glanz loses a legal fight in Oklahoma Supreme Court, where he argued against operation of the Tulsa Jail by a private corporation on constitutional grounds.
August 2, 1999: The first two busloads of inmates arrives at the new Tulsa Jail operated by CCA. More than 200 former sheriff's employees become CCA employees.
August 19, 1999: The old jail officially closes.
March 18, 2005: After struggling with a jail budget deficit, the Criminal Justice Authority votes to return jail operation to the sheriff.
July 2009: After nearly a year of haggling, the city and county agree to a five-year agreement calling for the city to pay $45 per prisoner per day for up to 35 prisoners and $54.13 for every inmate beyond that. Under the previous 10-year agreement, the city paid no direct fees to house its inmates in the jail. Instead, it provided the county with various assets and services at minimal fees or at no cost.
April, 2013: Tulsa County Commissioner Fred Perry says the county should reopen negotiations with the city on its jail contract before the agreement expires next year.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/government/tulsa-jail-budget-overruns-expected-to-top-million-this-year/article_e83c37bf-a7aa-5fc0-a62d-0a10e339f818.html

When the jail was in three places - Adult Detention Center, Municipal Building (which is why there is a sky bridge to the Courthouse), and on the upper floors of the Courthouse, the City paid $1-2mil a year to the TCSO to run all the facilities and accept municipal inmates.  The package deal to build David L Moss failed... and was put up again before it succeeded. It was sold to citizens as a cost saving measure and they were told that the new sales sax (half penny) would fund the jail and there wouldn't be more fees. That, of course, was a lie and fees soon reentered into the agreement that as codified.

The agreement was $45 per day for the first 35, and $54.13 for each thereafter.

Then the agreement expired in 2013 and we have no new agreement to date. The jail is used by Sapulpa, Sand Springs, Owasso, Bixby, glenpool, BA, Jenks, Tulsa, the US Marshall's, ICE, and the State DOT. The County wants a different rate for Tulsa, the Marshalls ($59), ICE ($54.13) , and the DOC ($27). I couldn't find what the other municipalities pay in.

The County insists it costs $64.23 to house an inmate for a day.

The jail is funded with a special sales tax. Tulsa County pays 65% of that money in, or $17mil a year. The jails total budget was $33mil in 2011, by 2013 had grown to 34mil, it is now down to $31mil apparently (accounting change?). Other articles insist the budget in 2013 was $24mil.  The budget approved for 2015 was $29mil, then they had $2mil in cost overruns. So... ummm, sure. I'm comfortable saying the 2015 expenditures will be around $30mil.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/government/criminal-justice-authority-approves-million-tulsa-jail-budget-for-next/article_6ec15c98-47a3-5a53-b628-78cdd232fefa.html
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/government/tulsa-jail-budget-overruns-expected-to-top-million-this-year/article_e83c37bf-a7aa-5fc0-a62d-0a10e339f818.html


The jail holds 1700 inmates, and regularly exceeds that by 25-50 people.

Of those inmates, 200 are municipal inmates. Or ~11%.

We established that it costs $30mil a year to run the jail. That the jail regularly houses 1725 inmates, at the moment there is 1,614 people in that jail (report on their website: 230 ICE holds, 111 US Marshall, 931 Arrested by TPD [these numbers can and often DO overlap]). But lets pretend it averages capacity of 1700.

30mil a year/620,500 person days (1700 people x 365 days) =  $48.34 per inmate, per day, including booking costs.

What am I missing? Where does the extra $16 per day come from? If it costs $64.23 to house inmates, and the jail is regularly overcrowded with a 1700 inmate capacity, then why doesn't it cost nearly $40mil a year to operate it?

TPD arrested 55% of the people in David L Moss. Tulsans pay for 65% of the jail through sales tax. Additionally, the City of Tulsa has agreed to pay $59 per day per municipal inmate... which the County says is usually around 200 inmates at a time (most of the TPD arrests are for State/Federal crimes). That's another $4.3mil per year. SOOOOOO... Tulsa would be paying $17mil in sales tax, plus $4.3mil in daily fees (even though at 11% of the population, it should be $3mil as a percent of total budget), plus inmate contributions from Tulsa Citizens... lets just say Tulsans will be paying $22mil of an operating budget of $30mil. Or, City of Tulsa Citizens will be paying almost 75% of the cost of the jail ($55.27 per Tulsa citizen). The other 205,000 people in Tulsa County pay 25% ($39 per citizen). So, WE THE PEOPLE of the City of Tulsa get to pay an extra $16 per person for the County jail than other citizens of Tulsa County?

The jail has fixed and variable costs - what are they? Because I doubt losing Tulsa Muni inmates will really help things. Also, the likely result will be a drastic reduction in muni inmates and just slap 'em with state charges instead.  And hey, if we can house Federal Prisoners for $X, why can't we house others for that rate? Why, in the hell, does the State DOT get a massive subsidy?

Screw that. Jail funding is an issue that never dies. Funding requests keep coming, costs keep going up, and there is never enough money. But, we always find them more money when they need it. What? You're $1 or $2 MILLION short, we can find that.  Excuse me?  The schools need more money - NONE FOR YOU?  Parks want money?  Hahahahaa! We're taking $1mil from you and giving it to the jail just for asking. It never ends.

Here is a 2008 TulsaNow forum discussion on the subject:
http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=9448.0;wap2

- Build a new jail, and we won't need any more money
- Let the Sheriff department run it, and we won't need any more money
- Pay in more money, and we won't need any more
- Wait, we mean we need more money...

Never a penny for parks, MILLIONS more for jails. How much did we pay out to settle lawsuits of inmates abused and/or killed by the TCSO (sounds like a COUNTY expense)? And infinite fodder for the Tulsa World.

New Jail Deal Calls on Tulsa to Pay $59:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/communities/bixby/news/new-jail-deal-calls-on-tulsa-to-pay-per-day/article_085cf34a-69b3-54d0-8808-5aa73bcd6644.html

Criminal Justice Authority OKs hot button city-county jail agreement, now awaiting a concerned mayor's signature
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/government/criminal-justice-authority-oks-hot-button-city-county-jail-agreement/article_fc53eef9-ab1f-56bf-af6c-cdcdf17b4e45.html

Sheriff's Office talks about the jail without city of Tulsa inmates
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/sheriff-s-office-talks-about-the-jail-without-city-of/article_cdc26542-9d0e-59f9-a06e-e40d7fed1480.html

Tulsa Jail budget overruns expected to top $1 million this year
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/government/tulsa-jail-budget-overruns-expected-to-top-million-this-year/article_e83c37bf-a7aa-5fc0-a62d-0a10e339f818.html

Criminal Justice Authority approves $29 million Tulsa Jail budget for next year
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/government/criminal-justice-authority-approves-million-tulsa-jail-budget-for-next/article_6ec15c98-47a3-5a53-b628-78cdd232fefa.html

Should it not fund itself.....

BWAHAHAHAAAHAA!!! That's great. I love it.

Excuse me sir. I know you are in jail and are most likely a lowlife, but it shows here you have been in David L. Moss for 315 days. At $59 a day plus $100 booking fee I'm going to need $18,685.00 please. You owe your attorney $5k.

What's that?  Yeah, I know the jury found in your favor and you absolutely are free to go... we're just going to need that $18k first.

Or, even if they are guilty - go ask John Q. Public for $18k. What makes you think the typical jail bird can do any better?

And why this obsession about self funding?

Courts should be self funding.
Jails should be self funding.
Schools should be self funded.

Here's an idea... NO MORE LAWS UNTIL THE LEGISLATURE IS SELF FUNDED!

/ramble

[Breadburner]

Hey dingus.....They fine and fee alot of folks that dont spend one minute in the jail......Shouldn't you know this.....

[carltonplace]

Still no deal. Some are looking at re-opening the adult detention center for Tulsa's needs and ending the deal with the county.

[Townsend]

Still no deal. Some are looking at re-opening the adult detention center for Tulsa's needs and ending the deal with the county.

Well Hell's bells, let's tear down that jail and redevelop the area then.

[carltonplace]

Well Hell's bells, let's tear down that jail and redevelop the area then.

If if Tulsa moved out of the county jail and stopped using it as a municiple jail then they would only re-house the municiple inmates. The county jail would still be needed for state and county offenders.

[Townsend]

If if Tulsa moved out of the county jail and stopped using it as a municiple jail then they would only re-house the municiple inmates. The county jail would still be needed for state and county offenders.

Right...so we wall up Owasso, name someone The Duke to rule over the prison, and place all of the inmates in there to create their own society.

[carltonplace]

Right...so we wall up Owasso, name someone The Duke to rule over the prison, and place all of the inmates in there to create their own society.

Oh, I thought that's what was already going on in Owasso.

[Townsend]

Oh, I thought that's what was already going on in Owasso.

[Breadburner]

Probably an empty church in Owasso we could use as a jail.....

[carltonplace]

Smaligo says this is the County jail and Tulsa should pay just as much as any other municipality in the county to use it. Who does he think paid to build it? This is suppose to be the COT and COUNTY combined jail.

I think its time to close the negotiation with some flying deuces.

[rebound]

Probably an empty church in Owasso we could use as a jail.....

Nope.  As a recent Owasso emigre, I can attest that for good or bad none of them are empty.

[patric]

The jail holds 1700 inmates, and regularly exceeds that by 25-50 people.

Just a thought; what if Moss Jail wasnt allowed to charge for anyone over capacity?  
If those 25-50 people had to be maintained from the jail's profit, they might better moderate those overages, dont you think?

Yesterday, the jails operators were on TV warning you need to watch your neighbors now that its spring, because they could be growing pot and boobytraping the garden with rattlesnakes.

So much thinking needs to be changed on so many fronts.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Nope.  As a recent Owasso emigre, I can attest that for good or bad none of them are empty.

I bet there are new ones being built, too.

[CoffeeBean]

Why is the city obligated to pay anything?

A. Except as provided in this section and Section 979a of Title 22 of the Oklahoma Statutes, for emergency medical treatment for an injury or condition that threatens life or threatens the loss or use of a limb, any peace officer or jail or prison contractor who, in violation of a duty imposed upon the officer or contractor by law or by contract to receive into custody any person as a prisoner, willfully neglects or refuses so to receive such person into custody is guilty of a misdemeanor.

See 21 O.S. Sec. 533A

[Vashta Nerada]

It's 1960 at the Moss Jail !



An Oklahoma sheriff admitted that staff in his jail referred to black employees as "nigronoids," according to bombshell testimony in a Tulsa courthouse Monday.
Former Sheriff Stanley Glanz testified that he didn't take issue with the racially offensive terms "nigronoids" or "nigroids," stating that the FBI used them to describe black people in the 1960s or '70s.
The term, he added, can be chalked up to "police lingo."

Welcome to the third world.