The Clarion County Jail Inspection Board on Thursday learned the state prison system has not admitted any new inmates due to an outbreak of the coronavirus.
That leaves about a dozen inmates who had been sentenced to serve time in a state prison to remain at the Clarion County Jail. Among them are two who were convicted of homicide.
“They had a few positive cases of the virus, and they decided to isolate and not take any new inmates from any county,” Clarion County Jail Warden Jeff Hornberger said.
“Before the shutdown, there was a window when the sheriff could take an inmate down to Greene,” Hornberger said.
“It would take weeks prior to the pandemic to admit someone to the state prison after they had been sentenced by the Court of Common Pleas. There is a lot of paperwork that has to be collected from the Probation Department and other departments.”
According to Clarion County District Attorney Drew Welsh, the shutdown began about a month and a half ago.
“They changed the whole protocol during the pandemic and then they shut everything down for everyone,” he said.
Munsee said inmate COVID-19 testing must be done within 10 days before admittance to the state prison system.
The county jail has an average daily population of 75, something that Hornberger called “a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Hornberger said after court was held Wednesday, several new inmates would be eligible for work release. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the jail board on Thursday unanimously approved to continue the shutdown of the program.
“We do have some businesses that contact us looking for employees,” said Adult Probation Director Jayne Smail, who represents Judge Sara Seidle-Patton at the Jail Board meetings.
Hornberger said there is no inmate currently in the jail who qualifies.
“Even if we did restart the program, it would be a couple of weeks before we could begin,” he said. “The work release coordinator would need to do COVID testing and go over the rules with them. It does make for some extra work for the staff.
“I understand that while the person is incarcerated, the bills continue to come in for their families. This allows them an opportunity to pay any restitution or fines.”
However, Clarion County Commissioner Ted Tharan said without input from the jail’s doctor, he would prefer to not reopen the program.
The board will next review the status of the work release program at the board’s Nov. 12 meeting.