POLK COUNTY, FL -- Polk County Jail inmates are going to start paying a daily subsistence fee.
April 15 was Federal tax day for all of us who work, raise a family, play by the rules, and do our best to enjoy the fruits of our labor. It was also tax day for those who don't work but reside in the Polk County Jail. (Check out our mug shot slideshow)
The new fee, referred to as a 'subsistence fee,' is specifically authorized in the Florida Statute. The fees will be used to subsidize the cost of incarcerating inmates. This includes costs and services such as food, clothing, laundry, etc.
The fees started Wednesday, April 15, 2009. Inmates were provided a four week notice about the daily fees on March 18th, 2009. Inmates admitted into the jail since then have been notified during the booking process.
The $2 subsistence fee will be assessed daily and collected through the inmate accounting system. If an inmate has insufficient funds in his/her account to pay the fee, the fee will be charged to the account and a running balance will be maintained.
Any money placed into an inmate's account will be first applied to any outstanding balance owed to the jail by the inmate. If an inmate is booked out of the jail still owing funds, a lien will be placed on the account until the financial responsibility is paid.
The following fees have already been implemented and are currently in place in order to defray the cost of booking and incarceration:
1) $30 one-time administrative per diem fee when they are booked into the jail
2) Medical co-payment fees: $10 to see a nurse, $15 to see a doctor, $10 pharmacy co-pay, and $75 for off-site transportation for medical visits
3) Weekend inmate work program administration fee: $20 per day ($40 for the weekend)
4) Weekday inmate work program administration fee: $8 per day ($40 per work week)
5) $9 hygiene kit/underwear fee ($1.50 for hygiene kit and $7.50 for five pair of underwear) charged to inmates assigned to housing
No inmates are denied access to food, medical care, or hygienic products if they do not have funds in their inmate accounts or if they do not have funds available during the booking process to pay the fees.
During 2008, $418,438 was collected from Polk County jail inmates for medical co-payments ($38,182), hygiene items ($66,426), and per diem charges ($313,830). These funds help to reduce the overall operating costs for jail booking, housing prisoners, and feeding and clothing prisoners. The average cost per day per Polk County jail inmate for fiscal year 2008 is $52.27.
