Department of Criminal Justice
A Review of Department of Criminal Justice Inmate Transportation
February 2000
Report Number 00-015
Overall Conclusion
The Department of Criminal Justice (Department) can take steps now to reduce future inmate transportation costs by revising the method of receiving and releasing offenders. For example, the Department could save approximately $235,000 per year by releasing male offenders from two additional facilities. Additional savings could result from releasing offenders from more release points and transferring offenders directly from transfer facilities to their assigned units. Implementation costs would reduce these savings. Lack of relative data and unreliability of existing data limit the accuracy of projected cost savings.
The Department spent $13.9 million in fiscal year 1998 transporting offenders from the county where convicted, between prison units, and for release. We looked at the intake and release portions of this transportation system.
Key Facts and Findings
- Most offenders travel from prisons throughout the State to Huntsville to be released. Multiple release locations could reduce overall transportation costs. For example, releasing offenders at the Robertson and Darrington units could save an estimated $235,000 each year. Some of these savings would be needed to pay for implementing multiple release sites.
- Most offenders go to Huntsville before being assigned to a unit. Limited capacity and untimely information prevent decentralization of initial unit assignment; however, as new units are opened, offenders could be moved directly from transfer facilities to their assigned prison units.
- Data for Inmate Transportation vehicles is inaccurate and incomplete. This lack limits the ability to determine cost savings and means management may be making decisions based on inaccurate data.
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