Why were there no prosecutions of Sheriff Ray Byrd when the Department of Corrections thought enough evidence existed that Act 309 inmates were doing work for him. That type of work was prosecuted in Lonoke County, but not Pulaski County.
Who wants to be the first to list the personal work occuring in the Perry County Jail today?
Here is the story from the Democrat Gazette in which ADC spokesperson Tyler mentions the Perry County problem. Click on the comments section to see the full article.
"The committee canceled the Perry County sheriff ’s office participation last year because the prisoners did work for the sheriff, Tyler said. The Searcy County sheriff ’s office was dropped two years ago for inappropriate use of inmate labor but was reinstated after a new sheriff took office, Tyler said."
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Police chief used prisoner labor for his personal projects
BY RACHAEL MYER ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
The Arkansas Department of Correction has suspended the Lonoke Police Department’s participation in the Act 309 inmate-labor program after a spot check determined that the city’s police chief had used the state prisoners to work on his boat and install a sidewalk from his house to his pool, state prison spokesman Dina Tyler said Thursday.
Police Chief Jay Campbell acknowledged paying the prisoners to do the work for him. He declined to say how much he paid them.
"I had no idea they couldn’t do work and make money as long as they made money to do it," Campbell said.
State law and department policy prohibit the prisoners from working for the personal benefit of a police chief, Tyler said. Campbell’s paying the inmates didn’t make up for it, Tyler said.
"You can’t use inmate labor for personal stuff," Tyler said.
The five male prisoners who had been housed in Lonoke will be reassigned to a state prison but could be returned to another Act 309 program, Tyler said. The state picked up the prisoners Wednesday.
Under Act 309 the state contracts with cities and counties to house prisoners available for such public jobs as working at a landfill or mowing grass, Tyler said. Such an arrangement frees state prison beds while providing county and city governments with free labor.
The state paid the Lonoke Police Department $75 a day plus medical care to house the five prisoners, Tyler said. Campbell said he didn’t know how the loss of that money would affect the Police Department.
The seven-member 309 Oversight Committee is to meet in September to decide whether to lift the suspension, continue it or cancel the Lonoke Police Department’s participation in the Act 309 prog ram, Tyler said. The committee comprises two members of the state Board of Corrections, three sheriffs and two state prison wardens.
Tyler said she didn’t know for sure how much Campbell paid the prisoners for the boat repairs but believed it came to about $60. Nor did she know how much they got for the sidewalk work.
Campbell said the Correction Department also was looking into the city paying the prisoners every two weeks for toiletries. The payments had been $50 but were later reduced to $25 for budget reasons, the chief said.
Tyler said the state was investigating whether the payments constituted donations or were compensation for inmate labor. Campbell said the payments started before his administration and he didn’t know why.
The Correction Department also is investigating the Police Department’s use of civilians, such as city parks or utility employees, to supervise state prisoners working at city parks, Campbell said. In general, the Correction Department wants a police officer to supervise prisoners, Tyler said.
"This isn’t the first time that we’ve had a misinterpretation of the rules involving inmate labor. It’s not. This is not unique to the city of Lonoke," Tyler said.
Earlier this year the 309 Oversight Committee ended the Cleburne County sheriff’s office participation in the Act 309 program after a jailer reportedly had sex with an inmate, Tyler said.
The committee canceled the Perry County sheriff ’s office participation last year because the prisoners did work for the sheriff, Tyler said. The Searcy County sheriff ’s office was dropped two years ago for inappropriate use of inmate labor but was reinstated after a new sheriff took office, Tyler said.
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