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Vol. LXXXVIII, No. 125 Ann Arbor, Michigan-Wednesday, March 1, 1978 Ten Cents 10 Pages
Too manyp
By MIMI GINOTT
Washtenaw County's new $10 million, award-winning jail
may be too small to accommodate the rising number of
prisoners, according to county officials. What's more, they
say, the old jail on E. Ann may have to be retained to handle
the overflow.
Sheriff Thomas Minick says the present population in the
old jail is 141, but it has reached a consistent high of 210 in
recent months. Since the new jail was designed to house only
208 prisoners, Minick is preparing a "feasibility study" to
determine whether the old jail should be kept open.
MINICK SAYS he expects to begin transferring prisoners
to the new jail in the beginning of April. Its opening has
already been stalled for 11 months because of contractual
problems.
Minick says the County Board of Commissioners recom-
mends razing the old jail and constructing a parking lot in its
place, because the cost of renovation is too high. But, he says,
"it's premature to tear it down now."'
Prisoners po
Another alternative, according to the sheriff, would be to
add an extra wing to the new jail. However, he says, that op-
tion would depend upon the permanent jail population.
THE GROWING number of inmates has forced the county
to sometimes house up to 90 prisoners in other jails, at a cost
of $12 to $18 per day. That number now stands at 32 prisoners.
Jail Administrator Michael Montgomery attributes the
increase in prisoners to "a nationwide trend back to the law
enforcement philosophy-back to locking them up."
Minick offers a more detailed explanation. He claims
judges are not only "putting higher bonds on offenders," but
are also 'expediting arraignments to take care of -the
backlog."
HE ADDS THAT the "career criminal program"-which
guarantees punishment in the case of a previous police
record-has incarcerated 46 people. Moreover, the average
length of stay, according to Minick, has been extended by
eight days in the past year.
But these conditions are temporary, he says.
se problems.
THE OLD JAIL, however, is still overcrowded, Mont-
gomery says it is supposed to accommodate 134 prisoners,
seven less than its present population.
County Commissioners Willis Israel and Kathleen Fojtik
say they were opposed to plans for the new jail because they
thought it would be too small and too expensive.
COUNTY BUDGET Analyst Michael Stimpson says the;
budget for the new jail is just under $1.7 million-$300,000
more than last year's jail budget. But Montgomery main-
tains that over 90 per cent of the budget will be spent on per-
sonnel.
According to Minick, the new jail will require a minimum
of 23 additional guards.
Though Israel says he now considers the new jail a wor-
thwhile investment because of features such as single cells,
he says the county might have to undertake "diversion
projects" to handle the increased jail population.
or County
MINICK SAYS these projects include "pre-trial release,"
which presents the danger of the defendant committing
another crime before the trial, and "work release," which
allows the prisoner to serve his jail term on weekends.
The work release program is not "cost effective," says
Minick, because cells must be retained for the prisoners
during the week, even though they are living at home.
Weekends in jail serve no purpose, he declares.
Critics of the new jail look beyond its size. Many observers
consider the extra facilities-among them a nursery for
visiting children, numerous living rooms, and women's
vacuums and washing machine-to be costly and un-
necessary.
The centrally computerized lock-up system also has been
questioned. Israel says its purchase was based upon the
belief that "newer and bigger is better." Board of. Corm
missioners Chairperson Vleri Lou Murray says the jail cant
not open until the system is properly installed.
Park begins his
Koreagate testimony
Session
has, no
0
surprises,
Reps say
WASHINGTON (AP)-Tongsun Park,
saying he hopes to clear the air and let
"the Congress of this country get back
to its normal life," began giving secret
testimony yesterday on his alleged ef-
forts to buy favors from U.S.
lawmakers.
"For the sake of both countries in-
volved and for my own personal sake I
hope the whole thing (investigation)
would be terminated as soon as
possible," Park told reporters moments
before he went behind closed doors to
appear before the House ethics com-
mittee.
LED BY Leon Jaworski, a former
Watergate prosecutor, House in-
vestigators interrogated Park on
allegations that he lavished gifts and
substantial campaign contributions on
selected members of Congress to win
favorable treatment of legislation af-
fecting the Seoul government.
Park, a wealthy rice dealer and one-
time Washington socialite, was under
heavy guard as he arrived on Capitol
Hill. The committee is trying to deter-
mine whether congressmen who
received Park's gifts should be
punished for wrongdoing.
The alleged influence buying scheme
has put a heavy strain on U.S.-South
See PARK, Page 10
W n e S e eDaily Photos by ALAN BILINSKY
WInter SC e n es
We know... we know. Wfinter in Ann Arbor is cold and wet and cruddy and slushy. Just plain lousy. But next time you're
strolling, take a minute. Stop. Look around. You might catch the same things our photographer snapped. Winter's not
too bad after all, you know.
L
RETIRES AFTER 18 YEARS:
Sen. Bursley calls it a career
r
By DENNIS SABO
i
It has been re-
warding and fun
..but I think it
is time to look
Ann Arbor state Senator Gilbert Bur-
sley announced yesterday he would not
seek re-election this year, leaving his
seat wide open for the first time in 14
years.
Bursley, 65, described as a
progressive Republican by legislators
on both sides of the political fence, said
he would like to remain a public ser-
vant. He mentioned the possibility of
seeking a University Regent seat or
serving in the still-pending state consti-
tutional convention later this year.
BURSLEY WAS first elected to the
State House in 1960 and has served in
the State Senate since 1964. He says he's
proud of his legislative record - more
than 50 of his bills are now law. The
after
other
in-
terests.'
-Gilbert Bursley
variety of his legislation ranges from
public school instruction in birth con-
trol to increased state education ap-
propriations.
"I've been in for 18 years and I've ac-
complished a lot," he said. "It has been
a rewarding and fun 18 years, but I
think it is time to look after other in-
terests."
Earlier this year, Bursley's bill to
provide relief to taxpayers in college
towns like Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti was
signed into law.
BURSLEY SAID he would like to see
more changes in state government, but
added the changes would be con-
stitutional rather than legislative - a
factor which, he said, prompted his
decision not to seek re-election.
With the announcement of Bursley's
retirement, the names of several local
politicians have been tossed into the
arena as possible senatorial can-
didates. Most prominent are Rep.
Perry Bullard and Ypsilanti Mayor
See BURSLEY, Page 7
Wednesday
REGISTER
TO VOTE !
* President Fleming has a
sea t on two corporate boards.
Does that constitute a conflict
I nf intarP.ac callppdba
City Council toils over
Wilbur Cohen
Daily Photo by ALAN BILINSK
human
By KEITH RICHBURG
- In January City Council passed
on first reading the most com-
prehensive anti-discrimination
proposal ever attempted. Several
problems with the bill promised
rights ordinance
bing through the ordinance for merely specifying the intent of
every potential flaw, and in the the ordinance while ignoring the
course of the debate - which at "findings" which led to its incep-
one point turned into a shouting tion.
match - several key clauses Another catch-clause dealt
stood out as problem spots. with discrimination based on age,
Mostohiections centered on the and Council was hard-Dressed to
From Az
to D.C.
:
Dean Cohen 's legacy'
By SHELLEY WOLSON
Education, has been. just about
everywhere in the spheres of gover-
nment and education. When he retires
Few college types anywhere can say
thpv hvn wnrked fnr a11 the T S