JAIL MEDICINE

A new policy at the Cape Girardeau County Jail promises to save the county a good deal of money in the cost of medical care for prisoners.

Since it was implemented late last year, the county through April already has spent some $15,000 less than it did during the first four months of 1995 for prisoners' medical care. That is a significant savings considering Cape Girardeau County doled out almost $48,000 to provide medical care for prisoners last year, some $8,000 more than it had budgeted.

After last year's costs skyrocketed, Sheriff John Jordan decided it was time the county stopped giving free medical care to prisoners. The county doesn't have a doctor to take care of prisoners' needs, so the inmates must be transported to a doctor's office in Jackson or Cape Girardeau at the county's expense. But now prisoners must share the cost of each visit they make to a doctor's office.

Although their share is only $10, prisoners are finding it difficult to part with the money, because it comes out of their commissary fund. That is money they have on them when they arrive at the jail or is taken to them later by family members or friends. The money goes into a separate account for each prisoner and is used by the prisoner to buy such things as soft drinks, snacks and cigarettes, which are precious commodities in jails.

The county jail is bulging with prisoners, many of whom are looking for reasons to get out if only for a few hours. A visit to a doctor's or dentist's office gives them a brief spell outside the confines of the jail. As last year's medical costs prove, many took advantage of it. And why not, when it wasn't costing them a thing?

The sheriff has gone about the policy change in the right way. He found that other counties in the state operate under similar procedures within civil-rights boundaries. Every prisoner arriving at the jail is told of the policy during the booking procedure, so it can't come as a surprise when he or she asks to see a doctor. And every prisoner is treated the same.

There are occasions when prisoners must see a doctor or dentist, and those needs are being met. But as the savings indicate, the new policy is discouraging those who would seek a few hours of guarded freedom by visiting a doctor's office from asking to see a doctor. And those who must see doctor are required to put up some of their own money as assurance that care is needed.