Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Jr. says his 2010 budget has a nearly $5 million hole in it, which will force him to release 120 jail inmates to home detention, discontinue inmate rehabilitation programs, and possibly reduce freeway patrols, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
"If the money is not there, it's simply not there," Clarke said. "I'm not whining and saying, 'Give me more.' " Clarke said none of his cuts would compromise public safety. His plan includes placing 120 inmates on home confinement with electronic monitoring. Clarke said only nonviolent misdemeanor offenders would be chosen for release. He also plans to cut several inmate programs for assessment, job placement, print shop training, and drug and alcohol treatment.
