To better manage nonviolent criminals and save the state millions of dollars, House members have approved a bill that would allow up to 90 more prison inmates to be placed on home confine-ment.
Key to the measure's success is its price tag: $1.2 million. Rep. Lee Ellertson, R-Orem, the bill's sponsor, is trying to get the money placed in the Correction Department's base budget. If he's successful - and he's the budget co-chairman for the department - then the bill has a good chance. If he can't, then, like last year, the bill could fail.House members approved the bill Monday, but many warned money to pay for it must be found. Corrections officials said this is one of their top priorities this session - and they'll find the cash somewhere.
Already, between 50 and 90 inmates are on what is called "intensive supervision." Most have special electronic monitoring anklets hooked to their legs. A home-based computer watches the criminal - they can't leave their house unless approved beforehand by their parole officer.
The $1.2 million would pay for more monitoring devices and parole officers so up to 90 more criminals could be taken out of prison - where it costs upwards of $19,000 a year to keep them locked up - and placed into home confinement. Only nonviolent criminals convicted of nonsex offenses would be eligible for the new home confinement program. Ellertson says placing 90 inmates out of the prison would delay building the second phase of the Gunnison prison, which will cost $35 million to construct and several million to staff each year.