OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — On Thursday afternoon, the Oklahoma County Prison Justice Advisory Council (CJAC) met on the new MAPS 3 Conference Heart to think about hiring a brand new jail consulting agency.
CJAC has all the time been an thought group and was the physique that developed the concept of a Jail Belief and a separate administrator for the jail apart from the Oklahoma County Sheriff.
The group voted to rent the FSB consulting agency to analyze choices for bettering the bodily facility that’s the Oklahoma County Detention Heart (Jail).
CJAC additionally set a timeline for group engagement and analysis of choices.
Authorities based on columnist Marty Peercy
Facility Advisor
A subcommittee of CJAC has been established to analysis and make suggestions to the bigger physique concerning the bodily state of the persistently problematic Jail constructing.
Whereas it has been extensively reported and acknowledged that the Jail suffers from design flaws and repeatedly mounting issues with points like mildew, plumbing, and bedbugs, CJAC has not too long ago been analyzing the probabilities for remediation of the constructing.
Some on the subcommittee wish to see a brand new annex constructed for the Jail. That annex would probably comprise a a lot bigger and extra humane reserving and arrival space.
The brand new facility, in idea, would additionally home the medical unit on the primary flooring so that individuals may obtain care upon consumption on the Jail. The present tower, on this proposal, can be reserved for detainees categorized as “excessive safety.”
Others have recommended a high to backside rehabilitation of the present construction as an alternative of constructing one thing new, particularly as amelioration efforts on the constructing might be crucial even when a brand new annex is constructed.
Nonetheless others have known as for the present Jail to be demolished and changed with a safer and extra humane facility.
Choice Committee
Finally month’s CJAC assembly, a Request for Proposals was agreed upon for looking for a consulting agency to evaluate the choices for these concepts. A range committee was fashioned and went over every proposal submitted, then unanimously selected one agency to ship on to the services subcommittee. Each committees voted unanimously to pick out the corporate
CJAC heard from a number of members of the choice committee throughout Thursday’s assembly.
CJAC members Sue Ann Arnall, Dan Straughan, Carrie Slatton-Hodges, and Larry Stevens had been joined by a ReMerge shopper in addressing the choice committee’s selection of guide.
All reported that the agency FSB was essentially the most holistic of their proffered strategy to analyzing a detention facility. The agency, based on members of the committee, appeared to have a give attention to psychological well being entry for detainees and for acceptable pay and staffing ranges for Jail staff.
FSB has a great deal of native expertise, based on Timothy Tardibono, Govt Director of CJAC.
Timeline
The turnaround on the RFP and bid choice course of went very quick, based on Straughan, Govt Director of the Homeless Alliance. Actually, the RFP was launched the very subsequent day after CJAC voted to approve issuing the request.
The timeline for the evaluation can be quite quick for a challenge of this scope. Within the coming few weeks, FSB will full an preliminary facility evaluation. After that, they may conduct some group conferences to seek out out what stakeholders take into consideration the way forward for the jail.
These conferences will forged a broad web to try to make sure an array of insights and opinions on the matter.
Coinciding with that effort, FSB will develop “programming choices” earlier than presenting a draft presentation to the subcommittee and the bigger CJAC physique.
For ten weeks following the primary group assembly, FSB will work to refine their recommended programming choices and to outline funding suggestions for the potential challenge.
In October and November, the consultants will make last suggestions to CJAC and the group at massive.
After that, the suggestions might be offered to the Oklahoma County Board of County Commissioners and the Oklahoma County Funds Board for last issues and potential adoption of suggestions.
Arnall was cautious to level out that FSB just isn’t being directed by the subcommittee to emphasise or desire any of the proposed choices.
Whereas some members lean closely towards constructing a brand new annex, some members of CJAC wish to rehabilitate the present Jail constructing, whereas nonetheless others endorse destroying the present jail and rebuilding a brand new and higher facility.
CJAC won’t meet once more in July. The subsequent assembly of the physique will happen on August 19, at 3:00 p.m. The assembly is anticipated to be held in particular person, however the location has not but been settled.
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Final Up to date June 17, 2023, 9:23 PM by Brett Dickerson – Editor
