The county and jail can do little to cut the expenses, but relief is sought or other programs may suffer. As the McCracken County Fiscal Court ponders the 2001-02 budget, one soaring cost that sticks out is medical care at the county jail. It hasn't been a good year for Jailer Cliff Gill, who says he'll spend more on medical care than on feeding the 300 to 350 inmates. He says the figure exceeds his estimate almost every year, but never by as much as this year.
Treatments range from cold medicines to heart-related medications.
And they are more violent than what they were three or four years ago. They often come in with drug-abuse problems. For example, many people jailed on methamphetamine-related charges are also users. That stuff will eat out your liver, your lungs, your heart and everything else. Few inmates have private health insurance, and coverage through Medicare and Medicaid generally is not available after inmates are in jail for 30 days.