The Cook County Board announced Monday it has approved a $1.8million program for electronic monitoring of inmates to ease jailcrowding.
If the program succeeds, jail director Spencer Leak said, it ishoped U.S. District Judge Milton Shadur will lift the $1,000-a-dayfine he imposed on the county in February because of the crowding.
"That's our goal; to get the fine lifted," he said, noting thatthe county has paid about $88,000 so far for failing to comply withShadur's order to reduce the jail population.
The electronic monitoring program eventually will allow thecounty to release up to 400 people accused of crimes, though thecounty plans an initial reduction of about 120 people by June 1.
The jail now houses about 6,200 inmates, about 120 more thanpermitted. The jail was designed to hold 5,535 prisoners.
Under the new program, an inmate will wear an electronic deviceon his wrist. When the inmate is called at home by jail officials,he must attach the device to the telephone to verify that the correctperson is answering the call.
The county is now releasing on their own recognizance suspectscharged with property crimes whose bonds range up to $50,000. Peopleaccused of property crimes, but with bail exceeding $50,000 will beeligible for the electronic monitoring program, said Leak.
No inmates accused of violent crimes will be released, he added.
Leak said the first inmates should be released with electronicwrist devices in 30 days, and the 120 prisoners should be under"house arrest" within 60 days.
The Board voted to give the work to Intensive SupervisionElectronically Monitored Inc., headquartered in Kentucky. The firmis the parent company of Home Incarceration Program, the Illioisgroup that will run the project.
Thomas J. Ryan, brother of Lt. Gov. George Ryan, is a founder ofHome Incarceration Program.
Ryan's firm will run the county's project for three months for$357,840. If there are no problems, it will be extended for one yearat a total cost of $1.8 million.
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