By KEVIN CHIRI

Publisher

LAPLACE — As far as St. John Sheriff Wayne Jones is concerned, no news is good news.

And that has been the way it has become in housing criminals in the St. John jail, ever since a much-needed renovation was finished last year to create a top notch, maximum security facility in the old jail building. Any problems with the criminals has been virtually non-existent.

The current Sherman Walker Correctional Center just off Airline Highway was built years ago to house a maximum of 372 prisoners, mostly in five, 58-bed dormitory units.

But Jones said they had many problems with some prisoners creating problems, especially those facing serious charges who had &#8220nothing to lose” by making trouble.

The old jail, which is in the rear of the Percy Hebert Administrative Building on Airline Highway, had a dilapidated cell facility that could house up to 60 inmates, so Jones got together with Prison Warden Philip Hebert to develop a great idea to utilize the cells.

&#8220We decided to take the old jail, and renovate it using mostly trustee labor, and turn it into a maximum security facility. Now we have a maximum security cell block, as well as a disciplinary lock down cell block. It has virtually eliminated the problems we have had in the bigger facility,” he explained.

The result of the work by Jones has ensured there is plenty of jail space to house any St. John criminals. In previous years, the jail would get so full that some lower level prisoners had to be released to make room for all those who had been arrested.

But the change has not only created a better environment to control the inmates, but also ensured all of the highest risk criminals such as murderers and rapists, are kept in a maximum security jail.

&#8220There really isn’t any problem with even having a chance to escape from this new facility we have put together,” Jones said.

Previously, the old jail had housed female inmates, but they are now in the newer jail in their own unit.

&#8220The parish helped us fund the project, and we used trustee labor that saved us nearly $30,000,” Jones said. &#8220The new facility allows us to isolate the individual offender from co-mingling with other offenders.”

Hebert oversees all jail facilities and has been the warden since July, 2005 after working for 11 years in the jail facility.

&#8220It used to be very difficult to avoid problems from some of these troublemakers in the old facility, since they were in a dorm with 58 prisoners,” he said. &#8220We couldn’t properly discipline them. But now we have a maximum security lock down cell block if they make any trouble. It has really reduced the problems just in the jail.”

Both facilities are kept clean as a whistle, with recreational areas for prisoners who earn the time to go outside.

The new jail housing nearly 400 inmates has also been improved to offer GED, library and computer facilities to train prisoners with skills that will hopefully reduce their repeat offense possibilities, as well as a kitchen that can produce up to 1,200 meals a day for both jails.

A medical department has a doctor on call, and there is a Boot Camp program for trustees to go to trade school, only for those who qualify.

&#8220We give inmates privileges so that we have something to take away if they misbehave,” Hebert explained. &#8220Some people don’t understand why inmates should have any privileges, but it actually works as a disciplinary tool for us.”

With the new facility now proving to be a great success, Jones said St. John Parish has plenty of room for any criminals to be jailed, and a better way to control the potential problems among prisoners.

&#8220As a sheriff you always are concerned about escapes, but with the new facility, it is just a minimal possibility now,” he said.