Judge focuses on jail crowding, reforms - Brevard

December 26, 2008 Judge focuses on jail crowding, reforms BY RICK NEALE FLORIDA TODAY A senior Florida judge soon will meet individually with Brevard County commissioners about chronic jail overcrowding in Sharpes. In July, Charles Edelstein submitted a 115-page report citing criminal-justice changes that may alleviate cramped conditions at the 1,701-bed Brevard County Jail Complex. Inmates filed a federal class-action lawsuit in 1983 -- but overcrowding remains unresolved a quarter-century later. The jail routinely exceeds its inmate capacity: Average monthly population was 1,802 last year, records show. By a 4-1 vote earlier this month, the commission decided to contract with Edelstein for up to $5,000 in jail-crowding consulting services. He will travel to Brevard from his Miami office and brief newly elected commissioners Andy Anderson, Robin Fisher and Trudie Infantini. Edelstein will earn $100 an hour, which includes travel expenses. The contract extends through Jan. 31. Infantini cast the sole no vote. Saying the county shelled out more than $400,000 for outside legal counsel last year, she wanted in-house attorneys to brief her instead. "I don't need the author of any book to tell me what it says in the book. You should be able to read it, and another attorney can communicate that," Infantini said. www.floridatoday.com/article/20081226/NEWS01/812260330/1006/news01