Prisoners to pay their own booking costs under sheriff’s plan

Kiley Russell

Wednesday, April 14, 1999 | 9:31 a.m.

CARSON CITY - Anyone arrested and eventually convicted of a crime in Nevada might just wind up paying booking costs in addition to any other penalties.

SB114, allowing for the booking costs, was pushed Tuesday by the Washoe County Sheriff's Department, which charges inmates for room and board but not for the cost of taking mug shots or getting fingerprints.

Washoe Sheriff's Capt. Jim Nadeau told the Assembly Judiciary Committee that the booking process takes time and costs taxpayers money, even if someone makes bail and doesn't spend time in a jail cell.

"We have observed that there are a number of people who are continuously booked - mostly for DUI, domestic violence and trespassing - but never spend any time in jail," Nadeau added.

But Assemblyman Tom Collins, D-North Las Vegas, says he's wary of charging additional fees to people already being punished for their crimes, either by fines or jail time, once they're convicted.

"Your jails are not supposed to be a fund-raiser, they are supposed to hold people for crimes. It just doesn't seem like a good idea," Collins said.

The sheriff's proposal also worries David Gibson of the Clark County Public Defenders Office.

"I'm curious as to how much it'll cost to book and release somebody," Gibson said, adding that he is "relieved, a bit" that the poor won't be charged under the proposal.

Those who couldn't afford to pay the costs could opt to do community service instead.

The Washoe jail books between 23,000 and 25,000 people each year, and the sheriff's department figures about 5,000 would be able to pay the booking fees. Estimating $67 as the cost to book someone, that works out to more than $300,000.

But Washoe County Sheriff's Capt. Tim Ganyon said his department is not sure how much money will be saved if the bill is approved because he was unsure how many prisoners would qualify.

Prisoners who do qualify to be charged for their booking costs "must be arrested for a crime - not a misdemeanor citation - must be booked, must be convicted of the crime, must have the ability to pay," Nadeau said.