4 GROUNDCOVER NEWS INJUSTICE Dive into Sheriff's budget reveals predatory revenue streams MARIE Groundcover contributor This article focuses on an information session about a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed by a Washtenaw County resident in March 2024. The documents in the FOIA request pertain to the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) 2024 Fiscal Year budget. Research from the FOIA request was presented the evening of Monday, February 24, to a full Farmers Marketplace in Ypsilanti. The title of the event was “A Deep Dive into the Sheriff’s Budget: a Civic Education and Strategy Session.” An RSVP through the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice (ICPJ) to the event promised: an informative summary of over 300 WCSO budget-related documents; brainstorming of community-based solutions to financial harms waged against incarcerated people, loved ones, and the community; and an exploration of current community-led initiatives like participatory budgeting committees driving the future of county spending. The event’s presentation operated like keys to unlock several issues, and opened the door to talking about them. During a pre-info session phone conference on Feb. 23, the event’s presenters Corn and Kat, along with this writer, clarified interests. Corn is a paid Michigan Justice Fund research fellow, hired in Fall 2024 by ICPJ to review FOIA documents pertaining to the FY2024 Sheriff’s budget. It should be noted this was the budget of Sheriff Clayton, not the newly elected Sheriff Dyer. Kat was brought on to the FOIA project as a research assistant, and brings previous employment experience as a social worker in the County jail. This writer is a forensic peer originally trained locally under the umbrella of a human trafficking specialty court pilot grant. (The session’s contents should not be confused with research paid for with funds directly from the Washtenaw County Public Safety and Mental Health Preservation Millage, which can be found at wastenaw.org/2806/Millage.) Corn and Kat summed the information session up as “a broad overview of what was found in the budget based on what was received … including clarification about some of the contracts.” This article weaves information presented during the education session with experiences from community members directly impacted by incarceration. Anonymized community members will be referred to as “buddy” in this article. During the Feb. 24 info session, the presenters described the documents received in the FOIA request as “not comprehensive,” because there were missing known details, lack of clarity in available documents and missing contracts. While the contents of this initial FOIA request includes Memoranda of Understanding, a lineitem-budget and other documents, some integral items are missing according to researchers. Among the documents provided, a profiteering pattern appears to have emerged. Profiteering is arguably evidenced by jails making money off of inmates, not promoting humane conditions, and conflicting law-enforcement contractual obligations. WCSO has multiple funding sources including the recently renewed millage, internal WCSO contracts and state and federal grants. During the presentation, the jail was reported as WCSO’s largest expense, notably with a jail funding shortage cited as impacting WCSO’s ability to provide quality healthcare and food to prisoners. Holes identified while researching the FOIA documents, combined with issues around current jail operations, suggest there are possible ways to address waste, improve accounting accuracy at many levels, and intentionally improve community wellness. Revenue through service contracts Among the more alarming examples of revenue identified during this FOIA research was commission-based or “for-profit incarceration” practices especially around food and telecommunication supports. Two WCSO contractual examples of “for-profit incarceration” in the presentation were reported as Securus and Canteen Services. WCSO appears to be operating like thousands of other law-enforcement agencies, as these contract holders have similar agreements with other carceral institutions. Securus Technologies LLC was presented during the info-session as the only method available for inmates to communicate with supporters. Contact between an inmate and their support network, including family members and attorneys, is currently made available via commission-based online visitation and phone calls. While some professionals may find direct access to inmates, contacts during incarceration are expected to occur via commissioned telecommunication methodology. The Securus portion of the info session included a table showing how WCSO profits through commissions of 20% when inmates communicate using Securus technology; the table showed the breakdown of additional fees that may change depending on the size of the purchased package, or at any time with 30 days notice. For comparison, 50 text messages have a package price of $5, from which WCSO receives a 20% commission. However, the full price for a 50 message package, after all additional fees becomes $9.75. A package with 400 texts has a base price of $32, from which WCSO receives a 20% commision, yet the full price to purchasers after applicable fees becomes $42.15. Securus reportedly made several contract amendments during the pandemic, many of which increased costs. In addition to the financial strain of utilizing Securus features, one buddy described a stressful experience of trying to answer a call while driving because they recognized the significance of an incoming call originating from the jail. A second buddy pointed to issues with see BUDGET page 7 MARCH 7, 2025 Who does the D.O.J. serve? D.A. Groundcover writer Who does the Department of Justice the D.O.J. serve? It surely isn’t me! How does it make me feel? There does not exist any word that could express that. I’m now sure of this, if there Was ever a reason to doubt, That there is clearly bias When you are charged with Allegations that a crime Or crimes have been put On me. The D.O.J. locks me up Immediately Most of the time without “Due Process” You see! I don’t stand a chance To save my hard earned money Let alone be able to invest In order to build wealth For me and my family. The D.O.J. taking every Dime I have Even destroy my life And recklessly destroy The hearts and minds Of my innocent children Devastation passed down. By way of the D.O.J. I’m locked up While they, The true criminals get away I’m not even convicted Of a crime and my Freedom once again Cancelled Under the color of law, by the Corrupted D.O.J. I reckon I’d be free Had I committed 30 or 40 felonies. Even perhaps brought an illegal gun into The White House with a couple of keys Not to the White House. A couple of keys or kilos of cocaine Then, I could get a pardon And simply erase all 30 or 40 felonies. I’m here locked down Although I’m innocent. Oh yeah! What happened to the D.O.J. When I did not even get a ticket, Citation, not even an incident report, Video, or one piece of discovery, At the immediate arraignment? What’s up with that D.O.J.? You know you wrong as can be! Like I said And I say it again Who does the D.O.J. serve? It surely isn’t me!
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