Does Lakewood Need to add a Jail to it's repertoire?

[Jim DeVito]

Maybe I am missing something here. Why are we locking up these 27 or so people a month in the first place. We are paying however much money to send them to sit in a room some ware for a week? Why are we paying for the local pot dealer to sit in a room and do nothing? We should be using these 27 dope smoking, car stereo steeling people to do work. They could be cleaning up our parks. They could be used for building new improved criminal approved basketball courts. We could use them for tearing down foreclosed home and building basketball courts in there place. The point is we have an underutilised asset that we could use to our advantage. Instead we PAY for them to sit in a room thinking about how not to get caught the next time.

[Jim DeVito]

That brings up another point. How many of these people need to be locked up in the first place. How many of those 27 are accused of a violent crime? Seems to me a week of forced labour is a much better deterrent than a week planning you next crime. And who knows they may even find out they like working outdoors and go get a JOB!

[Jim O'Bryan]

Jim

Good thoughts.

We have plenty that needs to be done.

Non-violent offenders should be working off their sins.


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[Lynn Farris]

Rich,

From what I understand - they are talking about a short term jail - not a prison.

I have a few questions. With the ankle braclet use, do we really need to keep these people in jail - or can the majority have in home detention where they are providing for their own food and their own housing. Then we could just pay to have them monitored? Seems to me that technology could be used inexpensively.

The White Building on Berea seems an ideal place - they have been trying to sell it for years - actually they are almost giving it away. It has few windows. Could it be renovated for a jail?

I agree with Jim, this isn't a great way to make money - but it does seem ridiculous to ship prisoners to Lake County. If we are only talking a few people at a time - it makes sense to keep the not so dangerous people here. I'm assuming that many of them are DUI, Domestic Violence, Drug use, etc.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Rich,

From what I understand - they are talking about a short term jail - not a prison.

Actually as it was described to me yesterday by someone that would understand. If we build a 40 cell jail, we can rent the rest out for a good dollar and attract the "cream of the crop federal prisoners."

Though we could not figure out who exactly that would be. Michael Robert Milken, John Dean, Jeffery Dalhmer, Al Capone, Arlo Guthrie, Joe Hill?

FWIW

[Jill Jusko]

Mr. O'Bryan

Once upon a time you used to take issue with folks who used unnamed sources to bolster their position. I rather agreed with you then, because a reader at least knew -- or had more reason to believe -- whether the conversation or whatever had actually occurred,or not occurred.

Now I see that you are using unnamed sources, i .e "someone that would understand." Your position has apparently changed? The same innuendo is going throughout another thread as well, I noticed.

[Kenneth Warren]

Ms. Jusko:

I’m with you. Great check.

Lay it on the line or don’t waste our time.

Facts, sources, named and claimed - the straight dope rather than the smoky double bind.

Kenneth Warren

[Jim O'Bryan]

Sgt. Ed Favre. I suppose at this time I have to say that I am sure it was Ed's opinion and not necessarily that of his fellow police officers, the Lakewood Police Department, or the Chief of Police.

When I said "someone that would understand" I meant, that he was pro on the idea of a larger jail, and that we would not have to worry about finding residents, but we should not go overboard. As a Sgt. on the police force I figured he knew more than I. With a number of cells at say 40, it would accommodate the "27" we need with enough left over to "rent out."

I said "Oh great, get some trouble makers out of the county." His answer was, he was sure we could get the cream of the crop from the FBI as they generally do not want their prisoners mixing with the trash at the county. At that point I asked what "cream of the crop" meant. There was no answer.

I also asked what would happen if, we did not get the "cream of the crop" and had to take in "trash from county." No answer.

So here is my new question, What happens when we rent it out and then need the room. Do we then have to pay others to move everyone around?

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[Jim O'Bryan]

Now I see that you are using unnamed sources, i .e "someone that would understand." Your position has apparently changed? The same innuendo is going throughout another thread as well, I noticed.

Jill


Could you direct to that thread, so that I may either delete or correct the impression. In fact I hear way more than I should, and should learn to not mention the items I cannot associate a name with.

I do believe the only times I really was outraged was, "I overheard a person in line..." and "I overheard at another table..." Which I would have to say has no solid basis that can be checked later by the person doing the reporting.

They were also used to bolster their personal position. In this thread I used it to argue against my beliefs, in an effort to try to equalize the discussion. I have to think a slight difference.

But thank you for holding my feet to the fire. What is good for the goose is always good for the gander.


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[Jill Jusko]

Mr. O'Bryan,

The innuendo I mention running through another thread is not innuendo by you, specifically. I meant it was more of the "unnamed sources" type of information that was contained in your post.

[Ed FitzGerald]

Jim-

Currently, a small task force made up of myself, Chief Malley, Captains Stone, Hassing, and Sabala, and City Prosecutor Rich Neff are exploring the idea of an expanded city jail.

I would respectfully suggest that you wait for us to make a proposal on what's feasible before you continue beating a straw man. Some of your comments about a "prison city" remind me of something out of the "Shawshank Redemption."

Again, we already have a jail. It's too small, out of compliance with state regulations, costs us hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to Medina and Lake County, takes our officers off our streets to transport prisoners...

In other words, the status quo is lousy.

Also, we're talking about a misdemeanor jail facility, not a prison. If someone is housed there from another community, they are released in that community, not Lakewood.

We should know what's feasible in a month or two, and will present information to City Council and the public. You can wait for a debate at that time based on actual facts, or we can pretend that Lakewood is in danger of being turned into Alcatraz.

[Bryan Schwegler]

Ed,
Thanks for the clarification.

I also want to say it truly shows something about your character and love for the citizens of Lakewood that you continue to be a part of these community discussions. Knowing that you're wiling to engage the people is a breath of fresh air. I know that I speak for myself and many others when I say that your presence here is deeply appreciated.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Ed

Thanks for the clarification.

The way it was originally sent to me! whew!

I thought Shawsank would have been nicer.

This is also why I asked Sgt. Favre what he thought and he was able to calm many of my fears.

I look forward to the study, and as Ed and you put it.

It all sounds much better than the person that called and made it sound like we had used money from Winterhurst to but the old Ohio State Penn complete with wooden electric chair to move to Lakewood.

As always thanks for taking the time to jump in.

Happy St. Patricks Day.


peace/....

[Stephanie Toole]

Maybe we can build the basketball courts right by the jail. Then you can catch all those drug dealers and public urinators real quick!

[Kenneth Warren]

I want to say that it’s a pleasure to behold the presence and functioning of Mayor Fitzgerald’s intelligence on the LO Deck. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there is usually brightness and good humor to Mr. Fitzgerald’s functioning on the LO Deck.

I don't know how to say it better than Mr. O’Bryan, when he compares the language games and exchanges evoked by his tempest in a teapot provocations on the LO Deck as “stepping up and trying to dunk Bo-Bo the Clown.â€￾

One consequence of Mayor Fitzgerald’s post to Mr. O’Bryan is that a case can now be made for the accuracy, efficiency and elegance of a Mayoral slam-dunk on our beloved Bo-Bo, deep down into the waters of “full fathom five.â€￾

Thus as the Bard wrote in "The Tempest," perhaps prophetically of the LO Deck’s lovable and vexing progenitor Bo-Bo:

“Full fathom five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes;
Nothing of him that does fade,
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell:
Ding-dong,
Hark! Now I hear them – Ding-dong, bell.â€￾

Again, I appreciate the Mayor’s powers of discrimination and intelligence.

Congratulations on the fab Mayoral Bo-Bo dunk!

Kenneth Warren