Sheriff speaks about Springfield prisoners

Monday, Sheriff Jason Mosher commented on a story which has made the front page in several communities: accepting prisoners from the city of Springfield.

"I know about what took place in Taney and Miller counties and the recent vote in Joplin," began the Sheriff. "But the contract I wrote, and which the Vernon County Commission carefully read and approved, has safeguards, including an easy out clause if anything comes up."

The city of Springfield does not have its own jail and, due to a dispute, has been denied use of the Greene County facility.

When Springfield made arrangements for housing prisoners in Taney and Miller counties, a problem arose.

Most prisoners from Springfield are charged with misdemeanors which often means bail is set low enough to be paid by friends or family.

When bail was made, Springfield neither provided nor paid for return of prisoners. Springfield residents were released in distant counties with no way to return home. Creating a homeless and penniless population created immediate problems and the potential for serious ones.

Said Mosher, "The contract we drew up, specifically says prisoners have to be returned to Springfield. And with friends and family far away, even those out on bail will want to return."

The sheriff said the Vernon County jail was built to be larger than needed in order to house out of county prisoners and has done so since first opened.

Mosher has increased capacity to 116 and can handle up to 141 on a short term basis. Vernon County prisoners occupy between 45-55 percent of the beds.

Currently, the county houses prisoners for eight other entities.

According to Mosher, the number of prisoners from Springfield would be 10-20 per week but expects it to be on the higher end of that range. If so, he anticipates vans with prisoners would be traveling round trip from one to three times each day. The cost to feed and house one prisoner for a week is $21.50. The rate to be charged Springfield would be $45. Near capacity, the jail earns Vernon County about $2,100 per day.

And in case of trouble?

Mosher said, "We'd give written notice, return the prisoners and that's it. The people of Vernon County come first and all of us in the sheriff's office are here to keep the people safe."