Two of Missouris largest law enforcement bodies, the sheriffs association and Department of Corrections, are locked in a bitter dispute over parolees and jail reimbursement.

The sheriffs association believes offenders are only serving about 15% of their sentences, while state data shows local jails are owed millions of dollars.

Its a law, so follow the law, Missouri Sheriffs Association President David Parrish said regarding jail reimbursements. This is affecting public safety, affecting our local taxpayers. This isnt all about data. Its about peoples lives.

According to DOC records, jails are supposed to be reimbursed about $22 per day for inmates who are eventually sentenced to prison time.

However, that money isnt actually ending up in the hands of local authorities. At least not all of it.

Parrish said he believes the DOC has mismanaged its budget and is therefore unable to pay the full amount. He also said the legislature could appropriate more funds to fix the issue.

Buchanan County is owed about $600,000, according to state records. Other counties like Greene and St. Louis are owed millions.

Would they tell you they need that funding? Parrish said. Of course they would. This is about the communities we live in.

The Department of Corrections declined to send a representative to be interviewed for this story, but did respond to questions via email.

Karen Pojmann, a spokesperson for the department, said internal data shows the length of incarceration for prisoners has been increasing over the last five fiscal years.

According to Pojmann, the current average length of incarceration before parole is 53% of the original sentence. It was 50% of a sentence in 2015.

The probation and parole processes in the state of Missouri are carried out as they always have been, in accordance with the constitution and state law, Pojmann said in an email. The purpose of probation and parole is to help people placed on supervision by the court or board correct their behavior and become law-abiding citizens.

Parrish blasted what he believes is a catch-and-release policy by the DOC, in which an offender is given a probation violation but allowed to stay free.

In some cases, Parrish said the DOC would not take custody of an offender with a probation violation warrant if the offender also was facing a new law violation until the new charge was adjudicated in local court.

In practice, Parrish said that means offenders can have a parole warrant for their arrest but not be taken into custody by the DOC.

There is no catch-and-release policy in the Missouri Department of Corrections, Pojmann said.

According to Pojmann, the Missouri Parole Board has allowed offenders who make a technical violation to remain on parole, but emphasized technical violations are not new law violations.

When someone commits a technical violation of parole, the violator is re-engaged and evaluated, using validated risk and needs assessment tools, to determine whether that citizen should be returned to prison, Pojmann said. These decisions are made by the parole board on a case-by-case basis.

Parrish also criticized the state for giving too much power to algorithms and analysts in deciding who gets released.

They have more say than what local law enforcement officials have to say, Parrish said.

Pojmann defended the use of an algorithm to help the parole board make decisions.

It is impossible to predict human behavior, she said in an email.

The algorithm, known as the Ohio Risk Assessment System, was put in place last year.

The adoption of this new tool is one of many products of the Justice Reinvestment Initiative recommendations unanimously approved by a task force that included sheriffs, judges, prosecutors, crime victims, leaders from the departments of public safety and mental health, and other stakeholders from all areas of the criminal justice system in Missouri, Pojmann said.

Parrish testified before a Missouri House committee on Feb. 10 about the jail reimbursement issue.

It will ultimately be up to the legislature to appropriate funds for the department of corrections.

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'Follow the law,' sheriff's association blasts DOC - News-Press Now