HOT SPRINGS -- The Garland County jail's inmate population swelled to 392 a day after crowding temporarily closed the lockup to new male prisoners, according to documents The Sentinel-Record obtained through an Arkansas Freedom of Information Act request.
The July 11 count bumped up against the jail's 395-bed capacity, which includes space for 22 women and eight men who the county is holding as part of the Arkansas Department of Correction's 309 work release program for state prisoners.
The headcount had dropped to 329 by July 19, when the lockup lifted its booking restrictions that required one male prisoner to be released for every new admitted. That restriction has been in place for the lockup's female housing unit since February.
Throughout June inmate populations were higher than the count that led to the temporary closure earlier this month, according to average daily population reports.
The reports showed counts as high as 408 and 401 on June 6 and 7, and 405 on June 12, with a 385 daily average from June 1 to July 3. Those high counts notwithstanding, booking restrictions for men weren't put in place until earlier this month. During the ensuing 10 days, the count ranged from 389 to 337. Arrest logs showed 234 arrests during the 10-day period.
It's unclear why the restrictions were put in place earlier this month but not in June. The sheriff's office did not respond to repeated requests for an explanation.
The jail's temporary closure was announced after a July 10 meeting of the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee, a panel of elected officials, court officers and law enforcement officials that met without notifying the media.
Intake and release logs showed that 35 inmates were discharged July 12 compared with 17 bookings, lowering the count to 356.
Jail officials told county justices of the peace earlier this week that money may need to be appropriated in next year's budget to open an eighth inmate pod if the crowding persists.
The $42 million jail opened in June 2015.
Metro on 07/29/2019