Carbon County officials are continuing to investigate if home electronic monitoring will help alleviate overcrowding in the prison.

During the county commissioners' meeting on Thursday, Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard, who is also the president of the county prison board, provided an update about the possibility of utilizing the home monitoring system more for level three and four DUI offenders.Currently, the prison, which has 192 beds, operates near or at capacity every month.Gerhard explained that he met with President Judge Roger Nanovic and Ronald Kokinda, director of the county adult probation office, about possibly creating a pre-release program in the county.He said that the one concern Nanovic voiced was that he felt this would release inmates who aren't ready to go back into the public yet.Gerhard added that it costs $70 a day to house one inmate at the prison. The cost of the ankle bracelet monitor is $15 a day, which is paid by the person sentenced to monitoring.Right now, the county is looking at additional costs with the program, such as hiring another probation officer to take on the caseload that would be created."We're looking at it all right now," Gerhard said. "We'll be having further discussion on this."Last week, the county approved a grant application through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency for Carbon County's Restrictive Intermediate Punishment Project (home electronic monitoring). The county is requesting $11,286 in match-free funds. The money is earmarked for the purchase of five additional ankle bracelets.Roberta Brewster, court administrator, said Thursday that the monitors have not yet been ordered because of problems.Currently, the company only has rebuilt monitors using GPS, but because of the geographical area in Carbon County, the monitors are having some issues."That hasn't been worked out yet," Brewster told the commissioners. "We're still in the process of the company getting the kinks worked out of the GPS before we put in the order."Carbon officials have been investigating a number of options to help alleviate the overcrowding issue at the prison, including creating a day reporting center.In other matters, Commissioner Wayne Nothstein, chairman, reminds Carbon County agencies that the fifth annual Legislative Breakfast will be held at the Whispering Pines, Penn Forest Volunteer Fire Company 1, 1387 Route 903, Jim Thorpe, on April 25. Doors open at 9 a.m., breakfast is served at 9:30 and the panel discussion begins at 10 a.m.The main speaker is Brinda Penyak, deputy director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, who will speak about human services funding and further system reform; inmates with mental health and substance abuse issues; and prevention of substance abuse and drug overdose.Nothstein said that spaces are still available but officials must know if an agency would like to come ASAP because a final head count must be submitted to the hall.To register for the brunch, contact Mindy Graver at 570-325-2788 or email

mjg26@psu.edu.