County attorney: jail census near 108, competency evaluation backlog slowing cases

County Attorney Melissa Johnson updated the board on criminal caseloads and the jail population, saying the local jail census was 108 as of last week and that a portion of those inmates are awaiting competency evaluations or restoration.

Johnson said people awaiting competency evaluations made up about "a little over 17 and 0.5 percent" of the jail population, and explained that those defendants often wait months to be admitted for evaluation at state facilities, which then stalls their cases. She said the office recently reassigned cases after staffing changes and a newly sworn-in attorney will begin work handling a partial caseload to avoid overloading staff.

Commissioners asked whether the county receives payment from the state when inmates are transferred; staff explained the state typically assumes custody once journal entries are completed, and KDOC transport procedures and delays were discussed as contributing factors to the local jail census.

Johnson framed these as part of a statewide process that is creating operational strain at the county level and said the office is pursuing case-management steps to manage the backlog while emphasizing the limits of local control over state evaluation capacity.