Commissioners approve claims, note expenses related to inmate, court costs

​YORK COUNTY – This week when the York County Commissioners approved claims for this claim period, they noted what York County Commissioner Chairman Randy Obermier termed as “the continuing trend of prisoner fees and public defense.”

​The court appoints outside attorneys to represent indigent defendants when there is a conflict of interest for the public defender’s office.
The cost of public defense, for this claim period, came to $44,138.75.
Also in this claim period, they approved $4,004.58 in food/other supplies for the jail and $181 in medical costs for inmates.
They also paid $5,500 for housing York County inmates in other counties, which has to happen when there isn’t enough room in the York County Jail for everyone. The jail has enough room for 36 people at one time, but the corrections staff tries to keep that number around 30 so there is room to place those who are newly arrested. The jail has been consistently full for a very long period of time.
The county is responsible for feeding and housing all those in York County custody, as well as providing dental and medical care. And the county is responsible for their legal defense if they cannot afford to pay for the service themselves.