from the courthouse to prison pursuant to an appropriate order of the Court.1
First, we recognize that the office of the Sheriff in each of the respective counties lacks the financial and human resources to provide transportation for sentenced criminal offenders from Family Court to prison on a regular basis after the Department has ceased such transportation each day. Therefore, we believe that the ultimate resolution of this complex problem lies with either legislation or mutual agreement based upon the cooperative input of the Courts, the Department, the Sheriff's offices and the other law enforcement agencies concerned.
Second, we understand that the transportation of criminal offenders from Family Court courthouses to prison upon sentencing is currently conducted on an ad hoc basis in each of the counties. The Department transports criminal offenders from Family Court during routine scheduled trips between the courthouse and the prison on a daily basis. However, it appears there are occasions when offenders are sentenced at times when the Department has completed its regularly scheduled transportation. When the Department is not available to
1 The Superior Court of Kent County has recently issued a standing order which requires the Sheriff of Kent County to transport persons committed to the Department by the Court from the courthouse to prison when the Department is unavailable for such transportation.
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