LITTLE ROCK — The unclaimed bodies of prison inmates will be cremated, unless the inmate has expressed religious objections, under a policy approved by the Board of Corrections on Tuesday.
In the past, the Department of Correction has buried unclaimed bodies at a cemetery near its Varner and Cummins units near Grady in Jefferson County.
The change in policy is expected to save the department thousands of dollars a year. Last year, the department paid to bury 14 inmates at a cost of about $2,700 each. Cremation is expected to cost about $550 per inmate.
The policy approved by the board says that inmates whose bodies are not claimed will be cremated unless the inmate has completed a statement declaring a religious objection to cremation or the inmate’s family objects “based upon religious beliefs opposing cremation that reflect the inmate’s declared religion.”
When an inmate is cremated the ashes will be returned to the next of kin. If no relatives can be located, the ashes will be scattered in a cemetery.
Bodies that are not cremated because of the inmates’ religious objections will continue to be buried.
The board voted 4-2 to approve the policy. Correction Department spokesman Dina Tyler said it would become effective immediately with Director Ray Hobbs’ signature.
Board member Ken Jones of El Dorado said he voted against the change because he wanted prison officials to have more discretion when family members can’t afford a burial but object to cremation based on their own religious grounds or other reasons.
The family “ought to have an opportunity to be heard,” Jones said.
Board member Alonza Jiles of Pochahontas also voted against the change. He did not return a call seeking comment after the meeting.
Arkansas, Pages 20 on 09/29/2010