Salt Lake County backing new jail computers

Who's in the Salt Lake County Jail?

Good question. It's one that can't easily be answered with the jail's current outdated computers and a database that doesn't have much information in it, Sheriff Aaron Kennard said Tuesday.

But things are looking up for the sheriff, who is running for re-election this November. Finally someone is listening to his pleas. A County Council subcommittee on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to fund a new computer system estimated to cost $1.5 million, and the mayor's office is also on board with the plan.

"Thank you for this effort," Kennard told the committee. "It's fallen on deaf ears for a number of years."

For now, the council will likely authorize up to $75,000 to kick-start conceptual plans for a data-tracking system during June midyear budget adjustments. Once plans are finalized, the project must gain final approval from the County Council and be put up for competitive bid.

The jail's current computer system has frustrated county officials for years. Things came to a head this year after the council demanded concise data on who is in the jail and why. With that information, the county officials want to determine how many beds should be in the jail and which inmates would benefit from the county's alternatives to incarceration.

County officials want to reduce the jail population by keeping some less-violent offenders out of the jail and filtering others to treatment programs. They also want to reduce the number of beds. Last December, the council ordered the sheriff to cut 300 beds by July 1.

To date, 150 beds have been closed, leaving 1,850 beds open in the jail. The council has extended permission for the other 150 beds twice so far, and jail officials plan on asking the council to maintain the current level of 1,850 beds through the end of the year. That will cost an estimated $174,000 — a figure the sheriff's office will ask for during budget hearings this month, said Doug Willmore, the county's chief administrative officer.

Figuring out how many beds to fund is a tough decision to make without accurate data, Mayor Peter Corroon said. "It should take five minutes to get the information at our fingertips, but it takes days with our current system."

Willmore agreed: "It's pulling teeth. You're literally almost flying blind."