Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Potter proposes pink for prisoners

Gurdon resident Tommy Potter addressed the Clark County Quorum Court Monday night, March 10, with some suggestions for the operation of the county jail.

Potter showed the court a Texas newspaper from Van Zandt County that described the success of changing inmate uniforms from blaze orange to bright pink.

He later said that even their socks and underwear should be pink as well. He said the pink uniforms would not create a comfortable environment for the detainees, and therefore they would not want to be there.

It has dropped the population of the jail, he said, quoting the story. Inmates dont like it, so they dont want to go back to jail. Isnt that our goal?

He later said orange is an all-too-common color now, with railroad workers, highway department and hunters all wearing the color.

Not only should their uniforms be pink, but Potter later said the walls of the jail should be painted pink to add to the uncomfortable environment.

Potter also suggested the county research the possibility of getting wheel locks to be placed on vehicles of persons who owe the county fines. He said he feels that if a persons vehicle is taken away, they will be more likely to pay the fines they owe.

Their car will go to jail, he said.

He said the measure would also prompt citizens to pay their fines up front if threatened with the device. Gurdon only has $17,000 in its jail budget, Potter said.

By eliminating the need to jail people, he said, that budget would go further. Plus the cost of transporting inmates would decrease, he said.

Potter said the hub-locking devices cost about $50, and perhaps the county could get a better deal if they were to buy them in bulk. He said smaller municipalities could have a dozen or so devices, and the larger ones could have two dozen. JP Wayne Bowen asked Potter if he had talked to Sheriff David Turner about these issues. Potter said that he had. Hes OK with it.

While the court took no action, JP Brown Hardman thanked Potter for his input.

Youve thought outside the box, Hardman said. And I appreciate it.

(The Arkadelphia Siftings Herald contributed to this report)