I served as state representative from Farmington (1995-2002) and state senator from Franklin County (2006-2010), when the corrections system, including state and county, was reviewed and modified to a more “efficient” and, I guess, less costly system. I had my doubts.

The Franklin County Jail became a 72-hour holding facility in about 2009, after decades of serving the county’s incarceration needs with distinction and within budget. It needs to return to its former use as an operational jail, housing jailed persons for terms of up to one year.

The Somerset County Jail will not now accept Franklin County jailed persons, so such persons are now transported to other, more distant facilities.

The system has failed; the program, as currently operated, is blatantly lacking direction, the controls are ineffective, costly, and a bigger waste than ever before.

A fully-functional Franklin County Jail, with 30-40 beds, where meals are prepared and relatives can visit inmates, needs to happen.

Walter R. Gooley, Farmington