County edges toward PREA compliance
Darlington County Sheriff Wayne Byrd agreed to fund one of two new jail guard positions. Photo by Samantha Lyles
By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net
After more than two years of delays, the Darlington County Detention Center is finally moving toward compliance with staffing requirements mandated by federal law.
At their August 15 meeting, Darlington County Council approved a request to add an additional corrections officer position (total cost with salary and benefits of $39,467) at the Detention Center. According to a staffing assessment conducted in 2014 by Robert E. Benfield of the South Carolina Association of Counties, the Darlington County Detention Center is understaffed by 9 employees.
Blake Taylor with S.C. Department of Corrections has repeatedly urged the county to hire additional guards to bring the jail into compliance with federal PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) standards, and this agenda item extract indicated that Taylor is willing to work with Darlington County to phase in these necessary positions.
Under this proposal, one new guard position will be added in fiscal year 2016/17 using funds left over from the previous budget year, and a second position will be added when the Sheriff’s Office / Detention Center submits a plan to fund salary and expenses. But if the new guard position cannot be absorbed into future general fund operating budgets, administration will freeze the position to prevent deficit spending.
Sheriff Wayne Byrd explained to council that increasing total Detention Center staffing from 52 to 54 would be a “show of good faith” and would extend the county some latitude on PREA compliance. Byrd said that if and when the second guard position is filled, his office will transfer funds to cover salary and benefits.
Council member Bobby Kilgo moved for approval, adding that funding for the position should come from the Prison Farm budget, and Le Flowers gave a second. Kilgo noted that the Prison Farm averages about 15 prisoners and observed that there are almost as many employees as inmates. County attorney Jim Cox and interim county administrator Charles Stewart said the alternate funding was unnecessary since funding is already set aside for the purpose. Kilgo then removed his stipulation and the measure passed as written.
