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Ankle bracelets an alternative to jail
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The Warren County Jail is overcrowded, according to Commissioner Herschel Wells. The jail is certified to hold 251 prisoners but had an average of 277 prisoners last week and 288 prisoners the week before.Wells spoke to members of the county’s Budget and Finance Committee and recommended leg bracelets be used on prisoners who are not dangerous or violent offenders, allowing them to return to their homes to finish their sentences. He said people who owe child support would be good candidates for the monitoring system.“Those are the people who need to be out making money to pay their bills,” said Wells.Commissioner Terry Bell agreed saying, “It looks to me like that would be the way to handle some of those who are in for not paying child support.”The GPS/ radio frequency tracking devices are worn as ankle bracelets by inmates allowing the prisoner’s whereabouts to be monitored at all times.Members of the county’s Jail Oversight Committee met in May and discussed using the monitoring system on inmates who had severe health issues prior to their arrest.