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The largest division within the Sheriff’s Office is the Jail Division. The Finney County Jail is one of the larger jails in the State of Kansas. The jail is a 220-bed combination facility that incorporates a linear and direct supervision style of prisoner management. Mark Welch CJM is the Jail Administrator who, along with two Lieutenants, four Sergeants, and eight Corporals oversees, jail,kitchen and medical staff operations. Jail staff is primarily responsible for the safety and security of staff, prisoners and the facility. They also perform a variety of other duties and work various posts. Their mission is to operate a safe, secure, cost effective and standard compliant facility. When a person is arrested and lodged in jail, a Jail Deputy enters pertinent information into the computer to create a Jail Booking Record, takes the person’s fingerprints and a photograph (mug shot). The Finney County Sheriff's Office is one of the few Sheriff’s Offices in the State of Kansas to use a live scan electronic fingerprint machine a product of Cross Match. The live scan allows for the electronic capture and transmission of fingerprints and arrest data to the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) at the KBI. The live scan device was obtained through a grant from Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and matching funds. The photograph (mug shot) is taken using a studio grade video camera with the photo being stored. The photo is later transferred to an imaging system for permanent storage and attachment to the jail booking record by records division personnel. After capturing the photo, the Jail staff prints a picture ID card with the inmate’s name and booking number on it. The inmate must wear this ID card the entire time they are in jail. The photo capture and printing system a product of Daymark Solutions of Lenexa Kansas. When a person is released from jail certain computer work and paperwork must also be completed. All these items along with other documents are routed to the Records Division for further handling, dissemination and filing. While persons are incarcerated in jail their safety is of the utmost importance. They are granted certain privileges but these may be revoked for disciplinary or security reasons if necessary. Some of those privileges include access to a phone television; reading materials; cards and a limited number of games.
Medical Care Prisoners are provided medical and dental treatment as necessary to ensure their health. A full-time nurse provides initial evaluation, treatment and counseling in accordance with her certification, approved health protocols, procedures, and jail’s practioner's approval. If additional care is needed an appointment is made with an appropriate physician or health care facility. The nurse also coordinates the dispensing of inmate medications. Prisoners who require an evaluation by the nurse, a visit to a doctor, or a prescription are assessed a co-pay fee. If the prisoner has money in their trust fund account the co-pay amount is deducted, otherwise the prisoner carries a negative account balance. Health services and medications are provided regardless of the prisoner’s ability to pay. Co-pay is simply a method of recouping some of these expenses just like the prisoner would have to do if the prisoner were to go on their own. Recent Kansas law allows counties to go after these unpaid medical costs once the prisoner is released from custody. Finney County uses a collection agency to do this. Video Court A fully interactive video court appearance system has been installed in the Jail, Juvenile Detention Center, and in the courtrooms in the Law Enforcement Center and County Courthouse. This new system allows prisoners to make a court appearance without ever having to leave the security of the jail facility. It has proven to save a considerable amount of man-hours in transporting prisoners to and from court. Many hours were spent researching and designing this project, which was coordinated by the Court Administrator of Finney County in cooperation with the National Center for State Courts. The vendor for the project was Court Vision Communications, Inc. Visitation Prisoners may have professional visits from their attorney, religious clergy or other professional, in a secure visitation booth where the inmate and professional can speak in private about their legal, religious or other matters. Under certain circumstances, face- to- face professional visits may take place within the confines of the jail. Prisoners may also receive non-contact video visits from certain family or friends. When a person is incarcerated they may designate up to four adults who may come to visit them. The prisoner is allowed to change their visitation list on the 15th of each month. Prisoner visitation is conducted Monday thru Friday from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and on Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and again from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Prisoners are allowed three (3) visits per week up to 30 minutes each depending on the prisoners housing assignment. These visitations are conducted via closed circuit television units located in the jail lobby and prisoner housing units. This system is another product of Court Vision Communications, Inc. This system allows prisoners more visits and visitation time and is less staff intensive which results in a savings to the taxpayer. In the first year of operation this system has already paid for itself! Prisoner Correspondence All correspondence to prisoners should be addressed: (prisoners name) Items of Interest The Finney County Jail was honored by being the subject of a cover story article in the January/February 2003 issue of “American Jails” magazine. In 2003 and 2007 Jail Administrator Mark Welch was re-certified as a Certified Jail Manager through the American Jail Association. In 2004 Lieutenant Jeffrey Orebaugh received the American Jail Association’s “Correctional Supervisor of the Year Award.” In 2005 Corporal Aaron Solze received the Norwood E. Jackson Memorial Scholarship Award. Employment Opportunities Contact the Sheriff’s administrative aide at (620) 272-3700 Other links
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