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Inmate program needs work
Published Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Concordia Parish Sheriff Randy Maxwell was sworn in Tuesday night, and we hope one very important piece of business is top on his to-do-list this morning.
It’s time, once again, to revisit the policies governing inmate trusties who are allowed to work throughout the parish.
Maxwell governs several different programs including work release inmates and those who are constantly supervised by deputies.
Both categories have seen escapes in recent months.
The latest escape occurred Monday when Damon Henderson — in jail for theft — turned up missing from the Concordia Parish Correctional Facility’s auto shop.
Fortunately, most of the time the escapees are non-violent offenders, who cause little damage in the outside world. But that doesn’t make the situation better.
It’s frightening to residents when inmates escape from jail. When it happens time after time from the same agency, it’s a problem.
After an escape in 1999 Maxwell was quoted as saying, “We’ll do everything we can to keep an escape from happening.”
We hope those words turn into action soon before another inmate slips away and before someone gets hurt.
Comments
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on June 4, 2008 at 6:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well now in Maxwell's defense he has only had 9 years to turn his words into action, geezz give him some time...Should show the people of Concordia Parish his words means nothing...
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on June 4, 2008 at 6:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How many escapes has there been?
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on June 4, 2008 at 6:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
DEB, you don't live in Concordia Parish do you? I don't see how this affects you.
Posted by COSomething (anonymous) on June 4, 2008 at 9:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How many escapes have there been state-wide and nation-wide? Let's compare.
Posted by itsawounderfullife (anonymous) on June 4, 2008 at 9:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Compare it to what, the Parish of Concordia, weeeeeelllll it doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out that more escapes have occured state or nation wide than in the parish of Concordia. Now I would like to compare it to another Parish of its size and see what the numbers are. This IS in this parish and it NEEDS to be dealt with quickly.
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on June 4, 2008 at 11:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I know this last Concordia Parish inmate escapee is the 3rd one that I've read about in the democrat in the last year.
Now, our newly elected mayor plans to contract with the new prison to use prison labor to clean our fair city, which he says will save the city $200,000.00. He must be planning to lay-off the folks currently doing those jobs. What if the Democrat decides that some of those inmates are smarter and can spell better than the current reporters down at the democrat? What if Stines and Home Hardware decide that since Concordia Lumber hires them, they can also save money by replacing their workers with prison labor? What if Natchez Regional decides that prison labor would solve their money problems by replacing all of their non-licensed positions with prison inmates.
Next, we will have inmates escaping in our town too.
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on June 4, 2008 at 11:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Enki it affects us if the inmate crosses the river.
Posted by COSomething (anonymous) on June 4, 2008 at 2:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Itsawonderfullife, get real. You know what I meant. Compared per-capita, of course. Don't be so stupid.
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on June 4, 2008 at 3:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Did anyone escape today?
Posted by ProNatchez (anonymous) on June 4, 2008 at 6:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Some would like to think that we are crazy to call attention to this topic. Some would like us to think that we don't really have anything to worry about. After all as the sheriff said, "He probably just went to see his girlfriend." Some would like us to think that it is probably worse somewhere else. Some say it doesn't affect us on the other side of the river.
An escapee could be anywhere, so this topic affects every single one of us. It doesn't matter how many escapees another parish or county has. It doesn't matter what they are in jail for. We have no way of knowing the mindset of a prisoner when s/he is breaking out. Any of them could be dangerous if they are desperate.
Get your jail in order Mr. Maxwell. Get your prisoners under control.
Posted by josey (anonymous) on June 4, 2008 at 7:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well said ProNatchez!!!
Posted by itsawounderfullife (anonymous) on June 4, 2008 at 9:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
COS Say what you mean and mean what you say. "O" and its C-O-P not C-O-P-E and you are calling me stupid what a strong word!!!!!!
Posted by texasranger (anonymous) on June 4, 2008 at 11:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The one that goes to see his girlfriend is the one that will stick a icepick in your ribs at Wal-mart or some redlight. We should all be leary of prisoners who escape..A lot of folks around here don,t get the whole story or they truth many times.
Posted by texasranger (anonymous) on June 4, 2008 at 11:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
the truth that is.
Posted by lroberts1 (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 5:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
PUt an ankle bracelet on each one of them. Or maybe a collar, with a leash. Made out of chain about 50 foot long. That will hold them.
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on June 22, 2008 at 11:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I strongly agree with lroberts1. If anyone ever needed an ankle bracelet with a gps, it would a prisoner who is let out to work. I'd prefer he stayed on the inside, but at least make him wear an ankle bracelet if you allow him out.
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