Debtor prison: Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff's Office needs more

New Orleans CityBusiness, Dec 3, 2007 by Jaime Guillet

The Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff's Office will lose $15.9 million in 2008 by maintaining fewer cells at Orleans Parish Prison and earning less revenue.

Sheriff Marlin Gusman said the city must soon increase the per- prisoner cost of $22.39 per day it will pay to house a projected 3,300 prisoners next year to account for inflation. He said the increase is a must, particularly if city officials continue to claim public safety and crime are their top priorities.

"You get what you pay for," Gusman said. "If you want to pay for warehousing, that's what you're going to get. But if you want (an inmate) to come in and go out better, we're going to have to pay more."

Gusman requested $27.7 million from the city to care for prisoners, which equals 40 percent of the ofice's revenue stream of $69.8 million. The department oversees six prison facilities, down from 12 before Katrina.

The Sheriff's Office houses 2,512 inmates with space for 2,570. Before the storm, parish jails had 6,000 beds.

Gusman said the city promised him Orleans Parish Prison would be online more than a year ago, which would add another 850 beds. It is not.

"There's been an utter failure by the city to provide (additional) bed space," Gusman said. "They promised it would be ready in June 2006, then in October 2007 and here we are in November. Those beds are critical. I think they could (turn it over) in a couple of months if they put their minds to it."

City officials blame Gusman for blocking the reopening of the jail.

"We are doing final walks of the site," said city spokesman James Ross. "We have been approved to open (OPP) by the Prison Board, however, Sheriff Gusman has subsequently provided a punch list of items that he would like for us to address. We have agreed to undertake another review of the items and handle final repairs. We won't be able to provide a reliable opening date until this review is completed."

The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimated damage at the prison to be $17.2 million as of October, which is related to "permanent repairs from flooding," said spokesman Andrew Thomas.

Thomas said FEMA obligated $90.7 million to the state for prison repairs in New Orleans, although the city has only drawn down $29.6 million. In 2007, FEMA channeled $41.8 million to the state for facility repairs and only $2 million was accessed.

In addition to the lack of bed space, Gusman said he paid 29 percent higher salaries to 756 employees, ranging from an average starting wage of about $24,000 per year before Katrina to about $31,000.

Gusman budgeted $40.5 million for personnel including 95 administrative employees, 58 medical professionals and 603 deputies. Eleven percent, or $4.4 million, goes to retiree pensions and 2 percent, or $810,000, goes to a separate retirement plan, said Brian Coogan, Sheriff's Office senior accountant.

The sheriff budgeted $17.2 million in 2008 contracts but did not detail them in his request to the City Council. Gusman said Tuesday there were "about 50" contracts for "$1 million for legal services."

Gusman requested $28 million for capital outlay projects but disclosed only about $20 million in ongoing repair projects, including $8 million for the design and preparation for new kitchen, $5.3 million for a mechanic shop, $4.6 million for temporary detention sites, $1.5 million for warehouse doors, about $1 million for doors at the South White Street facility and $600,000 related to demolition of slabs at the new warehouse.

Gusman's lack of details regarding revenues and expenditures created contentious moments at the City Council's Nov. 16 budget hearing.

"I thought the budget presentation was incomplete, lacking important details outlining information in regards to spending on personnel, contracts and programs," said District A Councilwoman Shelley Midura. "Taxpayers want to know their money is being spent responsibly. If we are not given documentation of how the money is being spent by the agencies receiving those funds, then I'm not going to feel very good about my responsibility to the citizens who elected me to watch over their tax dollars."

Inspector General Robert Cerasoli said he was "shocked" by Gusman's lack of detail and "all departments, agencies and commissions requesting funds should provide detailed information with object codes and categories of where the money will be spent."

Council Budget Committee Chairwoman Cynthia Hedge-Morrell said she was satisfied with Gusman's presentation, although she "was not satisfied with their discrepancy of billing" and there "should be much more accuracy" of how much the city is responsible.

"I gave the city everything they asked for," Gusman said.