Latah County Jail passes inspection

There were only 33 inmates in Latah County Jail on Wednesday morning, but that number is expected to rise - particularly when several weekend inmates arrive Friday evening.

And everything at the facility will be in good shape when they show up.

The Latah County Commissioners conducted their quarterly inspection of the facility and found the jail was in compliance after completing a lengthy checklist.

There are 42 beds in the 40-year-old facility. Its population has been increasing at a fast clip during recent years, however.

The population increase at the jail has been on the rise for at least the past 18 months, said Lt. Ron Manell, the facility's longtime commander.

And statistics bear this out.

In 2012, the average daily inmate population was 24 people and in 2013 it had grown to 33 people.

In mid-March the number of inmates was 40 a day on average. It reached 49 men and women during a recent weekend, he said.

When the number of inmates exceeds capacity, then staff brings out cots and mats to accommodate everyone, Sheriff Wayne Rausch recently explained.

Commissioners earlier this month added $30,000 to the food and health care budgets for the jail so these basic needs could be adequately funded through the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.

The jail's small holding cell sometimes contains 10, 12 and, on rare occasion, even more suspects. Big community events - and the resulting arrests - are one of the reasons for this condition, Manell said.

The jail has been gradually increasing its level of ADA compliance and recently widened three locked gates so those in wheelchairs can more easily get through.

More lighting has been added to some areas of the jail and wall paint is a lighter color than it was a couple of years ago.

The video control room provides staff with nearly 40 different views of the facility. Security cameras have been upgraded recently. The views are clearer from the control room and the video can be stored much longer than before - for up to six months, Manell said.

They try to provide the inmates with privacy while they use the toilet, for example, by focusing the view downward, he stressed.

The jail is staffed by one sergeant, three corporals and eight deputies working three different shifts.

Much of the jail is composed of living areas that hold several people. There is one television in each of the areas and bench seating.

Inmates accused of more serious crimes are in a different area.

Inmates having trouble getting along with other occupants sometimes are relocated to avoid conflict. Solitary areas can be used for this purpose. There is a slightly larger solitary cell for inmates who are ill, Manell said.

The visiting area is small. It accommodates just four visitors at a time and there is no physical contact. Visitors and inmates can see each other through windows cut into the wall between the inmates and their friends and relatives.

They speak to one another through a two-way communication system. All conversations on that system are recorded and kept by the sheriff's department indefinitely.

Inmates can meet almost any time with their attorneys. They are asked not to do so during visiting hours because the increased activity can make it more difficult to maintain security.

However, inmates only get outside for an hour each day.

The tour didn't include the exercise area and library. Inmate Charles Capone, who is awaiting trial for allegedly killing his wife, Rachael Anderson, was meeting with his attorney in the library.

Commission Chairman Dave McGraw said afterward not many people actually know what jails and prisons "are actually like inside."

Latah County Jail will need to make agreements with nearby counties to take inmates when there are too many of them to safely hold in the Latah jail, McGraw said.

It hasn't been many years since the jail was itself capable of taking the overflow inmate populations of Clearwater and Nez Perce counties, and house federal prisoners, he said.

Other inspections of the jail are conducted by the fire marshal, health department, U.S. Marshal's Service and Idaho Sheriff's Association.

Terri Harber can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to tharber@dnews.com.