Missouri leaves counties holding the bag on prisoners

This is not a good time to be asking Missouri legislators for more money, but county commissioners recently did just that. They asked for more compensation for housing state prisoners in county jails. Right now, the state's reimbursement is less than what it costs counties to house, feed and provide medical care for prisoners. In Cape Girardeau County, according to Sheriff John Jordan, the state's reimbursement falls short about half a million dollars a year.

In the 1990s, the legislature authorized reimbursement to counties of up to $37.50 a day for state prisoners, but the state actually reimburses county less than $23 a day. Costs to the counties range from $34 to $48 daily.

Legislators from Southeast Missouri were sympathetic to the nearly 200 county commissioners who rallied on the Capitol steps in Jefferson City during the annual training session for commissioners. But, given the current economy and expected shortfalls in state revenue, there is little chance the prisoner reimbursement amount will be increased.

In the real world, any business facing the same set of circumstances would likely choose not to house prisoners at a loss. But state law requires counties to take the prisoners and accept whatever reimbursement the state sends their way.

Betty Knight, presiding commissioner in Platte County and president of the County Commissioners Association of Missouri, made a good point that housing state prisoners isn't the only unfunded -- or inadequately funded -- state mandate. Counties also provide 911 services, juvenile detention and county reassessment reimbursements as required by the state at local expense.

Virtually anything that would reduce the number of state prisoners in county jails also would cost more money. California, which is in dire financial straits, faces the likelihood of having to release thousands of prisoners to cut costs. Instead of saying there's nothing that can be done about Missouri's situation, state officials could take a look at creative ways to resolve this situation without spending more money.