.b

COMNIISSIONERS' COURT AGENDA REQUEST
PLEASE FURNISH ONE ORIGINAL AND TEN COPIES OF THIS REQUEST
AND DOCUMENTS TO BE REVIEWED BY THE COURT.
MADE BY: W.R Hierholzer
MEETING DATE: August 25.2008
OFFICE: Kerr County Sheriff s Office
TIME PREFERRED:
SUBJECT:
Consider, discuss and take appropriate action conceraing two attached jail analysis proposals.
EXECUTNE SESSION REQUESTED: (PLEASE STATE REASON)
NAME OF PERSON ADDRESSING THE COURT: Sheriff Hierholzer
''
ESTIMATED LENGTH OF PRESENTATION: 5 minutes
IF PERSONNEL MATTER -NAME OF EMPLOYEE:
Time for submitting this request for Court to assure that the matter is posted in accordance with Title 5, Chapter 551 and
552, Government Code, is as follows:
Meeting scheduled for Mondays:
THIS REQUEST RECEIVED BY:
THIS REQUEST RECEIVED ON:
5:00 P.M. previous Tuesday.
All Agenda Requests will be screened by the County Judge's Office to determine if adequate information has been
prepared for the Court's formal consideration and action at time of Court Meetings. Your cooperation will be
appreciated and contribute towards your request being addressed at the eazliest opportunity. See Agenda Request
Rules Adopted by Commissioners' Court.

August 25, 2008
TO: Kerr County Judge Pat Tinley and
Kerr County Commissioners' Court
FROM: Sheriff W.R. Hierholzer
RE: Jail Analysis
Consider, discuss and take appropriate action concerning two attached jail
analysis proposals.
r
MGT Office Austin
502 East 11'" Street
Suite 300
Austin, Texas 78701
(512)476-4697
(512) 476-4699 FAX
www.mgtofamerica. com
OF AMERICA, INC.
July 31, 2008
The Honorable W.R. "Rusty" Hierholzer
Sheriff
Kerr County
400 Clearwater Paseo
Kerrville, Texas 78028
Dear Sheriff Hierholzer:
I am pleased to follow-up our discussion with information about my firm, MGT of America, and
how we could assist Kerr County in conducting an in-depth evaluation of the county's criminal
justice system. We understand the county jail is full and that Kerr County may need to consider
options to alleviate that pressure and ensure the continued safety of its citizens. As Kerr County
leadership works diligently to consider options and develop a plan to meet the county's current
and future jail needs, I believe MGT can be of tremendous assistance. An MGT criminal justice
system assessment, jail operations review, and jail demographics and population projection study
would provide Kerr County with the independent, objective information needed to garner public
buy-in and other stakeholder support.
MGT has a broad knowledge of state and local government operations - in particular, criminal
justice systems and related departments. All of our senior staff are former practitioners and have a
first-hand knowledge of the compliance and accountability that must be provided to regulating
agencies, local government officials, and taxpayers. As you know, I spent two terms as Travis
County Sheriff so I am very aware of the demands on county budgets. We want each of these
groups to feel confident after reading our report that they have received their tax dollars' worth of
value. Our recommendations are sensitive to the fact that resources and budgets are not unlimited,
so our reports are always fiscally responsible and reasonable. And, unlike architectural firms that
also do planning studies, or private correctional companies that plan and run facilities, we have
no vested interest in the outcome of your study other than assisting the county in developing
accurate, reliable information and determining the best solution for its detention needs. We work
hard as a team with the county to find real solutions and make sound recommendations.
In addition to our in-house experts, we would partner with an outstanding consulting firm, JFA
Associates. Dr. James Austin, JFA's president, is nationally recognized as an expert in jail
population forecasts, offender classification system studies, and alternative sanctions
opportunities. He has served as director for several large U.S. Department of Justice-funded
research and evaluation programs and brings invaluable experience to our team in an area that is
directly related to your request. Dr. Austin has worked in partnership with MGT on numerous
projects in recent years, including studies for Bexar County, Texas, Dallas County Probation
Department, and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
MGT
O F A M E R I C A , I N C.
The Honorable W.R. "Rusty" Hierholzer
July 31, 2008
Page 2
Responsible planning first requires a careful and comprehensive examination of the dynamic
interplay among the various factors and players in a county's criminal justice system. To obtain
accurate projections of future detention needs through an assessment of the county's criminal
justice system, a sophisticated policy simulation model would be created. This simulation would
not only project the county's future jail population, but also would account for the impact on such
by all relevant components of the county's criminal justice system. Often the issue is not how
many come through the front door of the jail, but how efficiently they are processed once there.
We would like to propose conducting a criminal justice system assessment, jail operations
review, and offender classification system study. The most influential factors in forecasting a jail
population are the impact of recently enacted law, judicial decisions, and other criminal justice
policy decisions. These factors often vary from state to state and county to county, and are usually
very complex in nature. To add to the complexity, county criminal justice systems are often
given, and practice, a great deal of discretion in matters concerning their criminal justice system.
While we in no way advocate limiting the discretion of elected officials, it is helpful to
understand the impact of exercising discretion on the entire criminal justice system.
For your review, I have attached a proposed work plan and cost estimate for providing these
services to Kerr County. Any or all of these projects may be selected. However, if all of the
projects are selected and run concurrently, the county would benefit from some time and travel
efficiencies, which would reduce the overall cost.
` I would like to set up a time to visit with you and/or the Commissioners' Court about county jail
issues. I will follow up on this letter to see if we can schedule a visit, assist, or advise you in any
way. In the meantime, if you would like to speak with me, please contact me by telephone at 512-
476-4697, ext. 4413 or by e-mail at mfrasier@mgtamer.com. I look forward to visiting with you.
Respectfully,
Mar Fra
Senior Associate
Attachment

MGT
Of AMERICA, INC.

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Below we have provided a proposed work plan we would use for this project. Upon project
initiation, we would meet with key county officials to discuss the scope expectations, our
approach and methodology for the project. We would work with the county's project manager
and other key stakeholders to refine the work plan to identify critical events, decisions, approval
times, and milestone dates.
This proposed work plan contains three primary components, which would be coordinated with
the county's efforts to address future jail facility needs:
1. Justice system assessment. Examine what is occurring within the county's criminal
justice system, conduct ahigh-level evaluation of the processes and coordination,
assess how current processes are impacting the operations and population of the
county jail, and identify the need for any legislative or policy changes.
2. Jail operations review. In partnership with the county sheriff, conduct an operational
review of the county jail directed at maximizing the efficient use of currently
available housing space.
3. Offender classification system review. In partnership with the county sheriff,
conduct an offender demographic study, develop a jail population forecast, and
examine the functionality of the current classification system.
The initial task in assessing the county's justice system is the collection of information describing
how the system functions and the context in which justice services are provided by the different
components of the system. This will necessitate the collection and review of data relating to the
operation of the justice system, as well as interviews with key officials in the system. Our initial
focus of inquiry will be directed at understanding those policies and practices that have a direct
bearing on the processing of individuals through the justice system. For example, we will study
the following areas:
^ Statutes or policies that limit official discretion (i.e., mandatory arrest in
domestic violence situations, mandatory minimum sentences for driving while
intoxicated convictions);
^ Statutes and court rules that govern pretrial release, pretrial diversion,
sentencing, and case processing;
~ry ^ Law enforcement practices relating to arrest and citation release; s'
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^ Court practices in issuing summonses instead of warrants;
^ Bail decision-making practices and the availability of pretrial release options;
^ Case processing practices, particularly pertaining to how they relate to the
detained population; and
^ Sentencing decisions and the availability of sentencing alternatives.
Gathering information in these areas will involve structured interviews with key officials and
other stakeholders, as well as the analysis of available data. Those officials and the areas of
inquiry will include:
^ Law enforcement:
- the number of arrests by type;
- the use of citations in lieu of arrests;
- the timeliness of incident report preparation;
- access to criminal history information; and
- the availability of diversion options, particularly for such populations
as persons with mental illness who come in contact with law
enforcement.
^ Judicial officers:
- use of summonses in lieu of arrest warrants;
- time intervals between arrest and initial appearance before a judicial
officer;
- availability of information for the bail-setting hearing;
- types of hearings held for both felony and misdemeanor cases;
- time intervals between each of these hearings;
- continuance policies;
- sanctions employed for failure to appear in court or failure to pay
fines;
- use of expedited case processing for detention cases; and
- current caseload.
^ Court administrator:
- number of judges assigned to handle criminal cases;
- type of case processing data provided to judges;
- data on the number of continuances granted;
- data on case dispositions; and
- data on time intervals between arrest and adjudication for:
• detained felony defendants;
• released felony defendants;
• detained misdemeanor defendants; and
• released misdemeanor defendants.
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^	District attorney:
	- timing and results of initial screening of cases;
	- timing of decision for placement in pretrial diversion;
	- timing of formal charging decision;
	- awareness of release and diversion options;
	- timing to indictment;
	- timing of plea negotiations; and
	- office policy on continuances.
^	Defense counsel:
	- timing of appointment;
	- access to defendant;
	- timing of initial contact with defendant;
	- setting bond hearings;
	- awareness of release and diversion options;
	- timing of initial plea negotiation;
	- defender caseloads; and
	- continuance policy.
^	Jail administrator:
`~rr+'	- inmate access to defense counsel;
	- release authority and usage;
	- classification and risk assessment instruments and procedures;
	- prison admissions by demographic, offenses, and type of admission;
	and
	- current facility population by demographic, offenses, current legal
	status, admission type, classification level, current length of stay and
	projected release date (if available).
^	Probation:
	- percent of cases in which pre-sentence investigations are conducted;
	- length of time taken to conduct the investigation;
	- probation violation procedures;
	- sanction options; and
	- time intervals between arrest on probation violation warrant and
	appearance before judge issuing the warrant.
^	Community treatmendsocial services providers:
	- use and effectiveness of community resources that are or can be
	tapped for criminal justice referrals, including substance abuse and
	mental health programs; and
	- data on referrals, duration of service, cost, and recidivism.
	
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The purpose of collecting this information is to shed light on how the justice system manages
persons who are being arrested, charged, detained and sentenced by the courts. This is best done
by examining in detail a significant number of cases processed by the courts from the point of
arrest. In order to supplement the above information, we will conduct a sample survey of felony
and misdemeanor cases referred to the court system during a targeted time. Using Crystal
Reports, we will extract the following data elements on each case:
^ Case information:
- current charge;
- charge type (felony or misdemeanor; violent, property, drugs, public
order, or weapons);
- total number of charges; and
- date of arrest.
^ Defendant information:
- age;
- sex;
- race; and
- criminal justice status at time of arrest (on release pending
disposition of another case, on probation, etc.).
^ Criminal history information:
- number of prior felony arrests;
- number of prior felony convictions;
- number of prior misdemeanor arrests;
- number of prior misdemeanor convictions;
- prior failures to appear in court;
- prior probation revocations;
- prior prison terms; and
- prior parole revocations.
^ Release information:
- bail decision (i.e., released or detained, if so, how -including the
existence of any holds or detainers);
- bail amount set;
- date of pretrial release; and
- if release revoked, reason for revocation.
^ Adjudication information:
- number of continuances;
- type of disposition (i.e., dismissal, guilty plea, convicted at jury
trial);
'` - adjudication charge; and
- date of disposition.
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^ Sentencing information:
- date of sentencing;
- type of sentence (i.e., fine, probation, incarceration); and
- length of sentence.
^ Court appearance information:
- if failed to appear, date of first non-appearance;
- if returned to court, date of return; and
- if failed to appear more than once, how many times.
^ Re-arrest information:
- if rearrested, type of charges;
- if re-released, type of release;
- date of release; and
- if rearrested more than once, how many times.
The data collected will be used to develop a descriptive analysis of the county's criminal justice
system. This analysis would provide fmdings in the following areas:
^ Defendant profile - describing the background of defendants being
processed through the justice system (i.e., defendant demographics, defendant
prior history, and current status in the criminal justice system);
^ Case processing profile -how cases are being processed (i.e., measuring
time intervals between each stage of the criminal case process);
^ Pretrial release/detention profile -what methods are used to release
defendants pretrial, and how extensively is each method used, and for those
not released, what kept them from obtaining release (i.e., unreachable bail
amount, hold or detainer);
^ Case disposition profile -how cases are disposed (i.e., percentage of cases
that are dismissed, acquitted, convicted, and diverted);
^ Sentencing profile -what types of sentences are imposed (i.e., percentage of
cases that receive incarcerative versus non-incarcerative sentences, sentence
lengths); and
^ Pretrial misconduct profile -the nature of court appearances and re-arrests
(i.e., what percentage of defendants fail to appear, what percentage remain at-
large, what percentage of defendants given pretrial release are rearrested on
new offenses, what types of offenses are they being rearrested for).
This analysis will provide a comprehensive view of how the county's justice system functions,
providing a foundation for subsequent assessment. In addition, we will supplement this
information with best practices and benchmarking information, where available, from high-
"~ performing jurisdictions in Texas and around the country as points of comparison with Kerr
County.
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The primary focus of this component of the study is the efficiency and effectiveness of current
jail operational practices as they relate to maximizing the use of available space. The overall
objective will be to work closely with the county sheriff and his staff to identify the specific
operational practices and policies required for the jail to make best use of current and future
housing capacity. An assessment of the current bed space needs will be completed through a review
of current bed space descriptions coupled with a review of the facility's housing, dining, recreation,
education, program support, and administrative areas. Based on this assessment, we will work with
the sheriff s office to develop a current bed capacity level by each inmate classification grouping that
reflects how the inmate population is housed.
The project team will perform an assessment of key operational characteristics of the jail that
may impact offender population levels, including the following tasks:
^ Collect and review all existing studies, audits, reports, and databases relevant to
the operation of the jail.
^ Review current intake, offender movement, and release systems as they relate to
the processing of offenders through the jail system.
^ Develop an understanding of current staff deployment and utilization in the jail,
as it relates to intake and release processes.
^ Capture critical process and policy issues driving current use of bed space.
^ Identify issues that may hinder the effective and efficient use of housing areas.
^ Determine how the county may increase the efficiency and effectiveness of
currently available bed space.
The county sheriff has primary responsibility for the safety of staff and inmates at the jail. In this
role, the sheriff maintains an inmate classification system. An objective inmate classification
system is a necessity to ensure that inmates are properly housed within the jail without
jeopardizing inmate, staff or public safety. Such a system should use objective criteria that have
been validated either by the department or an outside organization, and should consist of an initial
screening, initial custody and reclassification instruments that are applied by staff who are well
'~^rr` training in classification. There also should be the appropriate use of over-rides (both
A~'~!T discretionary and mandatory) that does not exceed 20 percent. There should be a housing plan
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that ensures inmates are not inappropriately housed. Finally, there should be tests to determine if
the system is 1) reliable, 2) valid, and 3) accurately recorded in the jail's information system.
A major task to be performed is to review available data on the jail population, including inmate
demographic characteristics, sentence information, length of stay information, charge characteristics
and incarceration information. Much of this data will be collected in conjunction with the• work
performed in the first component of this work plan and with the development of population
projections for the jail.
Project team members will then proceed to identify key inmate sub-populations and the movement of
these populations through the system. Project team staff will also focus on describing important
inmate sub-groups in terms of their socio-demographic characteristics, criminal history, admitting
offenses, offense severity, length of stay, sentence lengths, legal statuses, recidivism history, special
needs (e.g., mentally illness and substance abuse) and custody levels.
The project team will perform the following tasks:
^ Verify the accuracy of the classification records stored on the jail's data system.
^ Review a statistically significant sample of cases from the current jail population
database.
^ Review classification records and other key data elements maintained by the
county.
^ Conduct reliability tests by re-scoring the sample cases.
^ Identify any differences or patterns in the classification re-scoring.
^ Determine which items are causing discrepancies in scorings, if any.
^ Determine accuracy of data system against manual case records.
^ Verify accuracy of classification scoring process.
^ Evaluate the adequacy of the information system on other critical data elements
that are needed to manage the jail population and to plan for future growth.
^ Request an extract file for the current daily population that contains, among
other things, the initial and reclassification records associated with each inmate
and the inmate's housing location and disciplinary records.
^ Statistically determine how each imnate is being scored on each initial and
reclassification item, the scored custody level, the number and types of over-
rides being used, the final or recommended classification level, and the extent to
which the jail is housing inmates by risk as measured by disciplinary infractions.
^ Identify through computer analysis those inmates who might be possible
candidates for an alternative to incarceration sanction either in pretrial or
sentenced status.
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^ Evaluate classification items associated with risk of recidivism or threat to
public safety.
^ Develop baseline projection of jail population levels over the next ten years
based upon current county policies and programs.
^ Conduct alternative projection simulations based upon different policy and
program assumptions that may be considered by the county.
^ Develop an estimate of the number and type of jail beds needed in the future.
Deliverable:
The final report will include analysis and recommendations related to:
^ Short and long-term population projections.
^ Jail space utilization and recommendations for improving the efficiency and
effectiveness of space utilization.
^ Justice system processes and functions and how potential changes could reduce
pressure on need for additional jail space and improve the flow of offenders in
and out of jail.
Proiect Budget
In order to complete the tasks described in the project work plan, we estimate a total budget of
$75,000 will be required. This budget includes professional fees, as well as associated travel and
project administration costs.
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Proposed Proiect Schedule

CARL R. GRIFFITH
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'~ _= ~` & Associates, Inc.
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Strategic support to business, industry and government
2901 Turtle Creek Drive, Suite ] Ol • Port Arthur, Texas 77642 •409.722.5100 • fax 409.722.5101 • www.carlrgriffith.com
August 8, 2008
Hon. Pat Tinley, County Judge
and the Kerr County Commissioners Court
700 E. Main St.
Kerrville, Texas 78028
W. R. "Rusty" Hierholzer, Sheriff
Kerr County Law Enforcement Ctr.
400 Clearwater Paseo
Kerrville, Texas 78028
Dear Judge, Commissioners and Sheriff:
Following up on my letter of July 29~' and in response to a telephone call from Sheriff
Hierholzer, I am pleased to submit the enclosed proposal to develop recommendations
relating to the operation of the Kerr County Jail.
I would welcome the opportunity to further discuss and refine the proposal..to address the
specific issues that you consider most pressing.
Sincerely,
~~
Carl R. Griffith
President & CEO

A proposal to the Commissioners Court, Sheriff
and the members of the Criminal Justice Community
of Kerr County, Texas to develop recommendations
relating to the operation of the Kerr County Jail
CARL R. GRIFFITH
& Associates, Inc.
CRG
Strategic support to business, industry and government
August 2008
Introduction
Carl R. Griffith & Associates, Inc. is amulti-faceted consulting firm with its
principal offices in Port Arthur, Texas. Our criminal justice practice is made
up of career criminal justice professionals with combined experience
spanning more than 120 years.
We are former police officers, deputy sheriffs, police chiefs and criminal
justice administrators. Two members of our team have served as elected
sheriffs with direct responsibility for designing, building and operating jails.
One went on to head a major state law enforcement and prison agency; the
other went on to serve as a county judge. Our team also includes attorneys,
judges, mediation professionals, communications specialists and a full
complement of research and administrative support.
This proposal is addressed not only to the Commissioners Court, but also the
Sheriff and the members of Kerr County's criminal justice community.
While the Court has the responsibility for commissioning our firm's work,
depending on the scope of the project, it is crucial that members of the
county's criminal justice community be active participants in the effort. This
includes the Sheriff, prosecutors, courts, other law enforcement agencies,
probation/community supervision agencies, the criminal defense bar and
others.
We recognize that the experts on Kerr County's criminal justice system are
the professional men and women who work in the system day in and day
out. Simply put, no one knows more about running the Kerr County Jail than
Carl R. Griffith & Associates, Inc. • Kerr County Jail Proposal
the people who run the Kerr County Jail. The jail does not operate in a
vacuum, though. It is impacted by many factors, including the arrest policies
of law enforcement agencies, bonding and docketing policies of the courts,
the decisions of prosecutors, as well as other factors. In some counties, a
pre-trial release agency impacts the jail. Of course, the jail is subject to
regulations enforced by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.
While defining the problem and setting the goal is always the prerogative of
the client, our work is always undergirded by the goal of achieving
maximum effectiveness and efficiency in all areas of the criminal justice
operation.
We are extremely proud of our record in providing our clients with proven
yet innovative and cost-effective solutions to a broad range of criminal
justice system challenges.
We would propose an initial meeting with members of the Commissioners
Court, Sheriff and other stakeholders to discuss the County's situation and
specific goals. During this meeting, we would also have a preliminary
discussion about potential options for achieving those goals. From that
meeting, we would develop a comprehensive scope of work and proposed
contract to implement that scope of work.
Throughout the process, we will actively seek and require the input and
participation of every agency involved in the system.

Carl R. Griffith & Associates, Inc. • Kerr County Jail Proposal
The following is an overview of the firm's services and should provide a
basis for developing an action plan. This is not intended to be an exhaustive
description of our firm's services or the issues on which we are prepared to
advise the County because, while some challenges are common to many or
most jurisdictions, each also faces unique challenges that demand innovative
solutions.
While these services are described and can be delivered individually,
experience has demonstrated that, depending on the client's goals, those
goals are generally best achieved when the system is addressed
comprehensively. Our final recommendation for a scope of work will be
based on the initial meeting outlined above.

Carl R. Griffith & Associates, Inc. • Ken County Jail Proposal
Services
1. Initial Review
We would propose a comprehensive review of the jail's operation from a
policy, procedure and practice standpoint. This will include an evaluation of
the use of information technology throughout the system. The review will
identify potential problem areas, as well as areas where the operation is
functioning well. Experience tells us that policies or procedures
implemented in the remote past sometimes remain in place long past their
useful life simply because, "it has `always' been done that way." Such
policies and procedures can be an obstacle to efficient operation. Our
experience operating jails large and small in many different contexts gives
us a perspective free from any limitations that might be imposed by Kerr
County's existing system and its policies.
In one such initial review recently, our team very early in the process
recognized opportunities for savings and presented an interim report to the
client. Those recommendations were implemented even as our team's work
was still underway, resulting in immediate savings for the client.
2. Comprehensive Detention Facility Needs Analysis
We understand Kerr County is facing a jail crowding issue, which may or
may not indicate a need for additional jail bed space. Our analysis of
population trends for Kerr County, as well as arrest policies, rates and types
~ of arrests of agencies booking prisoners into the Kerr County Jail, conviction
Carl R. Griffith & Associates, Inc. • Kerr County Jail Proposal 4
rates and sentencing, will provide the basis for our recommendation to
address the County's long-term needs. There could well be relatively simple
and inexpensive steps the County can take in the near term to alleviate the
jail's crowding.
If the County is ultimately confronted with the need for additional bed space,
our experts can advise County leaders on opportunities for efficiencies in
both construction and operations through jail design, as well.
3. Workforce Study & Analysis
Staffing represents perhaps the biggest single line item expense in any jail
budget. It is critical that the jail be staffed appropriately, but there are steps
that can be taken to insure staffing levels are as efficient as possible while
retaining all of the appropriate safeguards.
Employees are any employer's most valuable resource. The cost of training
and equipping new employees can be significant, which makes recruiting
and retention a critical issue for jails. At the same time, overtime costs to fill
vacant positions can strain limited budgets. If these are issues for Kerr
County, a review of staffing levels, deployment and the factors contributing
to attrition and absenteeism could lead to greater operational efficiencies in
the jail and yield savings for the County.
Carl R. Griffith & Associates, Inc. • Kerr County Jail Proposal
toward getting construction and operating costs as low as possible while
delivering a jail that is safe, secure, satisfies all applicable standards and
meets the needs of the community well into the future.
In a county slightly smaller than Kerr County, our client is currently building
a 96-bed facility. By working with the Commissioners Court, Sheriff and the
architect, we were able to offer design recommendations that will result in
staffing reductions of more than 25 percent.
Our suggestions on physical design of the facility reduced the estimated
constructions cost by more than 30 percent, or $4 million. That number
could easily have been higher had we been involved earlier in the process.
Our work in a somewhat larger county led to a reduction in expected
construction cost of $10 million (or approximately 30 percent).
Because we emphasize simplicity, economy and efficiency in design and
construction, some (but by no means all) of the jail architects with whom we
have worked have been resistant to our recommendations. Our clients,
however, the County officials who are accountable to the taxpayers, have
been very happy with our recommendations.
In a recent meeting with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards on our
design recommendations for a large addition to a County detention facility,
the TCJS staff enthusiastically endorsed our recommendations precisely
because they recognize the budgetary pressure new jail construction places
on counties. They particularly appreciated the efficiencies in both
construction and staffing that we proposed.
Carl R. Griffith & Associates, Inc. • Kerr County Jail Proposal 7
6. Criminal Justice System Integration
The interactive nature of the criminal justice system is widely recognized.
What is sometimes not as well recognized is the impact one area of the
system can have on other areas and how those interactions can impact the
entire system if they are not handled efficiently. This can be particularly
evident in the area of inmate population. Our team has substantial
experience in reviewing the processes and interactions of offices and
agencies throughout the criminal justice system. We have enjoyed
significant success in developing recommendations to streamline processes
by addressing issues that can inadvertently contribute to a slow down or
other inefficiency.
Our team recently conducted such a review and, because of system wide
cooperation in implementing our recommendations, the client realized a
reduction in average daily inmate population of approximately 20 percent.
This eliminated the need to house inmates off-site, which translated to an
estimated annual savings for our client of nearly $2 million.
7. Criminal Justice Advisory Committee
The benefits of bringing representatives of the criminal justice community
together regularly to discuss and address matters of concern cannot be
overstated. This group would generally include law enforcement agencies,
prosecutors, courts, pre-trial agencies, jail, community supervision and
perhaps even the defense bar. The purpose of the committee is to open lines
Carl R. Griffith & Associates, Inc. • Kerr County Jail Proposal
of communication to address, eliminate and avoid issues that impact the
efficiency of the system.
We continue to facilitate a CJAC for one client and see ongoing
improvements in the county's criminal justice system.
8. Alternative Sentencing, Work Release and Jail Programs
There are a number of innovative and cost-effective ways to address
sentencing, work-release and jail programs, many of which reduce the cost
of the jail's operation and yield savings for the community. Among the most
popular we have implemented or recommended for clients are programs that
place appropriate low-risk inmates in community service settings such as
mowing public rights-of--way, landscaping and other maintenance-type roles.
The public frequently appreciates seeing inmates literally paying their debt
to society through hard work.
9. Public Education
We have found that including and informing the public as much as possible
about the issues (i.e., overcrowding, need for additional bed space, benefits
of programming), about our firm's work and findings, and about plans to
implement our recommendations, can result in greater public support for the
efforts of the County in meeting the community's public safety needs. We
are prepared to work with the County in that public education effort.

Carl R. Griffith & Associates, Inc. • Kerr County Jail Proposal

Other possibilities for savings could include:
• Inmate medical services
• Inmate food service
• Inmate telephone service
Additional Services
In addition to our jail/corrections practice, our firm's criminal justice
practice encompasses the entire spectrum of criminal justice operations,
including:
• Law enforcement staffing and operations
• Prosecution agencies
• Courts and judicial agencies
• Alternative dispute resolution
• Information technology systems
• Warrant processes and tracking systems
• Criminal justice financial systems
• Constables Office operations and systems
• Criminal justice communications systems (internal and external)
• Criminal justice system statistical programs
• Courthouse and facility security analysis
• Management audit/analysis of criminal justice functions
• Certified trainers and training programs in all areas of law enforcement/
corrections.
Carl R. Griffith & Associates, Inc. • Kerr County Jail Proposal 10
Fee
As indicated in the introduction, above, we believe based on our experience
that a client's goals are .best achieved when these services are undertaken
comprehensively. We also recognize, however, that Kerr County's specific
needs will dictate the exact scope of work.
As we understand the issue from media reports, the County is confronted
with j ail overcrowding. Potentially confronted with the need to add bed
space, officials would like to explore less costly alternatives first. The
Sheriff has rightly suggested that streamlining adjudication processes might
provide some relief. We believe items one through three, above, including
an initial review, a comprehensive detention facility needs assessment, and a
workforce study and analysis, represent a logical project scope. This will
give the County sound guidance on your jail needs well into the future, as
well as policy and staffing recommendations that could lead to both
immediate and long-term savings. Given the size of the jail, the complexity
of the project, the time and expertise that would be required (and the
potential for significant savings to the County), we would propose a fee of
$50,000 (plus reimbursable expenses) on the initial scope of work, to include
items one through three, above.
After maximizing efficiencies through implementation of recommendations
developed in the initial scope of work, the County may see the benefit of
expanding the project scope. For example, even if we are able to achieve
population reductions sufficient to delay the need for additional bed space, it
may be advisable to look at criminal justice system integration, a Criminal
Carl R. Griffith & Associates, Inc. • Kerr County Jail Proposal 11

fir'
Justice Advisory Committee, alternative sentencing and jail programming.
We will be prepared to further discuss additional work as the project moves
forward.
Conclusion
The career criminal justice practitioners at Carl R. Griffith & Associates,
Inc. appreciate the opportunity to present this proposal to the Kerr County
Commissioners Court, Sheriff and members of the Kerr County criminal
justice community. We stand ready to assist the County in addressing its
pressing criminal justice needs and, with the commitment of all stakeholders
in the County's criminal justice community, we are confident we will be
able to develop recommendations that, if implemented, will achieve greater
efficiencies for the taxpayers of Kerr County.
Carl R. Griffith & Associates, Inc. • Kerr County Jail Proposal
12
'k
r
,~;~, ~ `°~ li
~.'~ Sir;,
CARL R. GRIFFITH
& Associates, Inc.
Strategic support to business, industry and government
2901 Turtle Creek Drive, Suite 101 • Port Arthur, Texas 77642 •409.722.5100 • fax 409.722.5101 • www.carlrgriffith.com
August 12, 2008
Hon. Pat Tinley, County Judge
and the Kerr County Commissioners Court
700 E. Main St.
Kerrville, Texas 78028
Dear Judge, Commissioners and Sheriff:
W. R. "Rusty" Hierholzer, Sheriff
Kerr County Law Enforcement Ctr.
400 Clearwater Paseo
Kerrville, Texas 78028
Following up on my earlier letter and the proposal you should have received a few days
ago, I wanted to share with you an article published in today's on-line version of the
Midland Reporter-Telegram newspaper.
The article reports on a citizen group's endorsement of a planned expansion of the
Midland County Jail. It also comments on my firm's work on the project. I believe Judge
Bradford and Sheriff Painter would be glad to talk with you about what we've been able
to accomplish in working with officials in Midland.
Again, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my firm might assist Kerr
County on your jail issues.
Sincerely,
~-~- v~.
Carl R. Griffith
President & CEO

Print Version > Citizen council OKs jail expansion Page 1 of 2
News > Top Stories
Citizen council OKs jail expansion Print Page
Despite the county making substantial improvements in the criminal justice system, the Citizen
Confidence Council said Monday the expansion of the Midland County Detention Center is
needed to address long-term problems.
by Courtney Bacalso
Midland Reporter-Telegram
Published: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 7:26 AM CDT
- Commissioners' Court still to decide whether to pursue a bond issue.
By Courtney Bacalso
Staff Writer
Despite the county making substantial improvements in the criminal justice system, the Citizen Confidence Council said
Monday the expansion of the Midland County Detention Center is needed to address long-term problems.
The five-member council comprised of citizens presented its report Monday to the Commissioners' Court, which has until
Aug. 26 to decide whether to place a bond issue for the expansion of its jail facility on November's ballot.
County Judge Mike Bradford formed the committee to review the study done by consulting firm Carl Griffith and Associate
Inc. that addresses the overcrowding situation at the county jail and its possible expansion.
The jail consulting firm gave its recommendations to the county earlier this year that included creating a work release
program for inmates and the construction of a new jail complex that would be designed for minimum, medium and
maximum supervision and personnel staffing within the Sheriffs Office.
"The council concurs with those recommendations in its entirety," the report states.
Council members include:
- Defense attorney David Lindemood of Brockett and McNeel Law Firm,
- Buddy Sipes, CEO of Chisos Operating Inc.,
,, -Former Midland Independent School District teacher Barbara Yarbrough,
- Public training program specialist Bo Zertuche of CGM Consultants.
Print Version > Citizen council OKs jail expansion Page 2 of 2
-Judge Willie DuBose, former Midland County judge.
Bradford said the council had been formed because they wanted an outside party to confirm and evaluate whether the
county commissioners are offering their best policies and have made improvements.
"Their decision was absolutely important to the process because you get so close to an issue that sometimes you need that
outside source to confirm your actions," Bradford said. "Secondly, these are some of the citizens who would be investing
their money (if we move forward), so you want a preliminary snapshot of what the community may thing. After all, the
Commissioners' Court are just custodians."
The council's decision comes after the county exceeded its maximum capacity of gob beds back in 2004, forcing officials to
outsource its inmates.
County officials hired the Griffith Group in April of 200. With the help of the consulting firm, the county has since
streamlined the entire judicial system in order to address the overcrowding problem.
"Substantial improvements have already occurred in the criminal justice system in Midland County," the report states.
"The reductions made to the inmate population through procedural changes, communication and cooperation have eased
the problem of inmate crowding."
Since Dec. 24, the county hasn't had to outsource any inmates. According to the Griffith report, projected cost savings for
2008 is at about $ i million -- $2io,ooo of which had already been achieved by March.
Other programs implemented to reduce the inmate population and save more money include the establishing of an inmate
work program last month, filling staffing vacancies and reducing overtime, and improving the sharing of information to
reduce time needed to prosecute cases.
"But (the reductions do) not ultimately provide along-term solution,' the report further states.
Bradford said the court is waiting for construction cost estimates before making its decision.
Courtney Bacalso can be reached at c.bacalso(a~mrt.com.
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