Overcrowding Creates Need For Jail Addition

 

Chairman Bill Godwin says the number of female inmates is starting to increase, causing a need for a women’s wing at the jail to be built. He says the jail is currently overcrowded; it is designed to hold 24 inmates and at times it is nearly doubling its capacity. 

 

The county commission says this poses a safety issue, and approved a motion to begin requesting bids for construction. 

 

“You know, even though those people are incarcerated, there are certain things that we need to provide in a manner consistent with being humane,” says chairman Godwin.

 

Godwin says he believes the addition will cost between $700,000 and $900,000 taxpayer dollars. The chairman says they are trying to be proactive before they are ordered to make changes by the courts.