There may be fewer Sunflower County youths at area detention centers in the near future, thanks to a contract that was approved by the board of supervisors this week.
The move to shift toward arrest monitors for youth offenders may save the county money in the long term as well.
Chancery Judge Debra Giles appeared before the board on Monday to present a contract proposal with AEM, a company that specializes in electronic monitors.
The use of electronic monitors was rekindled back in September when Lavert Hughes, who monitors youth on electronic monitors in Washington County, appeared before the board and suggested Sunflower County start its own program.
“AEM will provide the monitors,” Giles said. “Mr. Hughes will provide the oversight service, and he will be the sub-contractor with AEM to address our youth who will be placed on house arrest monitors.”
The county will be on the hook for $55 a month for the bracelet fee to AEM. Hughes will sub-contract with AEM and will charge an additional $25 per month per monitor.
“Each time there is a child on house arrest, there is a fee,” Giles said. “That is our option as opposed to detention, because we are definitely struggling with space at the detention centers.”
The contract stipulated that there would be a cost to replace damaged monitors, but Giles said there are stopgaps in place to make sure that the offenders themselves are held accountable for any malfeasance with the bracelets.
“If those monitors are damaged, a child can receive a felony charge for damaging those monitors,” she said. “If they attempt to remove them, that is a charge they could receive, and they will be responsible for paying for it… We have children who actually remove house arrest monitors, When they attempt to remove them, they in essence damage those monitors.”
The board voted unanimously to approve the contract.
Giles said house arrest is significantly cheaper than housing youth in detention facilities, so she is counting on that savings paying for the program.
