Jackson County jail nearing capacity; officials flag food and medical costs

Jackson County jail administrator Andrew Aloni told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that the county jail is nearing capacity and that rising occupancy is increasing food and medical costs.

"Currently, we're sitting at 35 inmates in the jail," Aloni said, adding that one female inmate had been transferred to Scott County after a physical altercation and that the county is using a dorm-style female pod. He said the jail was at about 78% capacity on an April average of 39 and that April’s daily average was 32.97 inmates.

Aloni corrected a prior figure for revenue from housing Scott County inmates, saying the county received $22,700 rather than the $23,100 he had previously reported. He said that as of April 30 the county’s total revenue from housing outside inmates reached $99,165 and that the previous day the total passed $100,000. He also reported 60 bookings in April, 71,509 documented inmate checks (rounds with a device), 7,107 observation logs and 2,401 meals prepared during the month.

Aloni told the board he expects food costs to exceed budget this year and into the next fiscal year because the jail filled more quickly than anticipated. He also warned the board to expect a likely medical expense tied to a female inmate’s ambulance transport to a regional hospital.

Board members thanked the jail staff for their work during a period of increased activity. Aloni said the department recently completed an audit and that county staff would draft a purchasing policy to address sales tax and purchasing irregularities the audit identified.

The board did not take action on new jail spending at Tuesday’s meeting; Aloni presented the operational update and asked the board to note potential budget pressures.