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I think writing about jail conditions is important for several reasons. First, the county is liable for what occurs in the jail, so lawsuits are a concern. I don’t think most people are aware of how complicated and stressful jail is, both for workers and prisoners. Finally, there really is no one else to write about it. The state doesn’t oversee county jails, the ACLU won’t take individual cases and the nearest daily newspaper has cut back so far on regional coverage, that they don’t cover it. It is our story and needed to be written about. Overcrowding at jails is a national problem, and expected to continue to grow. The sheriff allowed me access and I was able to talk with and photograph a couple prisoners, as well as interview the sheriff and jailer for a story about the jail. Following that story, we started receiving letters from prisoners. When some prisoners rioted, I wrote that story, then took another look at the jail in a later story. Documents uncovered in the firing of a deputy sheriff gave a more detailed look at jail operations than the public normally sees. I followed jail funding through the county commission’s budget process, wrote about an escape and subsequent capture that occurred and continue to keep an eye on the jail.
-Don Gronning Reporter Headlines: Hard time at the Pend Oreille County Jail Prisoners riot in county jail Problems at jail continue
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