Mercer County Jail inmates will be charged $10 a day for room and board starting April 1, according to a policy adopted Monday by the Mercer County Prison Board.

"It sends a message that crime doesn't pay in Mercer County," said county Commissioner and prison board member Olivia M. Lazor.

The longest county stay, two years, would cost an inmate about $7,300, under the policy.

"Prisoners will be financially responsible for their portion of breaking the law," Mrs. Lazor said.

The policy tries to discourage recidivism.

A repeat offender's room and board goes up $5 a day with each return trip, the policy says.

For instance, an inmate doing his or her fifth stretch at the jail would pay $30 a day to stay there. The daily fee cannot exceed the average cost of housing an inmate at the jail, which is about $55 a day.

Inmates -- excluding work-release prisoners, who pay room and board while they are lodged at the jail -- will be billed after they are discharged from the jail, the policy says. The inmate will be contacted in writing and asked to set up a payment plan, the policy says.

"If a payment plan has not been established within a 30-day period, these costs may be turned over to an agency for collection," the policy says.

If the payment agreement is not met, the matter also could be turned over to a collection agency, Mrs. Lazor said.

While they are not required to do so, inmates can pay for their stay while they are lodged in jail, the policy says.

Those who were held at the jail awaiting trial but released after being found not guilty won't be billed for their stay, Mrs. Lazor said.

The county employee who handles the administrative chores of the work-release program will now handle paperwork related to the new policy as well, Mrs. Lazor said.